Upper Karnali Hydropower Project

The Upper Karnali Storage Hydropower Project is a proposed run-of-the-river hydroelectric plant on the Karnali river in Nepal. It will have an installed capacity of 900 MW, making it the largest hydropower plant in Nepal when achieved.[1] However, most of the generated power is set to be exported to both Bangladesh (about 500 MW) and India (another 292 MW), via a 400 kV double circuit transmission line, with the only remaining 108 MW of total power dedicated to local consumption.[2]

Upper Karnali Hydropower Project
Location of Upper Karnali Hydropower Project in Nepal
Official name	Upper Karnali Hydropower Project
Location	Nepal
Coordinates	28°55′23″N 81°28′20″E
Status	Proposed
Construction began	unknown
Opening date	2024 (est.)
Owner(s)	Nepal Electricity Authority
Dam and spillways
Type of dam	Gravity
Impounds	Karnali River
Height	64 m (210 ft)
Length	207 m (679 ft)
Reservoir
Surface area	1.96 km²
Upper Karnali Hydropower Station
Coordinates	28°54′02″N 81°26′40″E
Commission date	2024 (est.)
Type	Run-of-the-river
Hydraulic head	159.26 m (522.5 ft)
Turbines	8 x 112.5 MW Francis-type
Installed capacity	900 MW

First planned in the 1990s as a smaller-scale 240 MW facility, the current 900 MW design was approved in 2008. A much larger 4,180 MW generation eventuality was identified on the same site during the feasibility studies, but this option was not selected.[3] As of February 2020, the Power Purchase Agreement was hoped to be signed within 3 months, which might give a boost to the long-delayed project.[4]

The expected cost of the dam is $1.5 Billion, partly funded by the Asian Development Bank, and its construction should employ an estimated 3,000 workers during 5 years.[2]