Myagdi: The deadline for the Rahughat Hydropower Company, currently under construction in Myagdi, has been extended for the third time. The 40-megawatt project is being promoted by the Raghuganga Hydropower Project, a subsidiary of the Nepal Electricity Authority.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the contract for the project was awarded to the Indian company Jayprakash Associates (JP) for Rs 6 billion on November 17, 2017. The original agreement stipulated that the project should be completed within 45 months. However, due to delays, the deadline was first extended in February 2022, and the second extension expired on June 27 this year.
Ganesh KC, the Managing Director of the Hydropower Project, stated that the deadline has now been extended for the third time to November 27, 2025, following the recommendation of the consulting company. The project has reached 90 percent physical progress, but the contractor company attributes the delays to challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, floods, landslides, and a shortage of river-based construction materials.
Additionally, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), another Indian company that signed an electromechanical agreement with the hydropower project in October 2019, has faced difficulties meeting its targets for the import and installation of equipment. The contract with BHEL is set to expire on December 31 this year.