PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDY OF UPPER DARAUDI C HYDROPOWER PROJECT (9.71 MW)

Abstract

The focus of this study is to find out the technical and financial viability of power generation from the small hydropower site, on the Daraudi river, located in Gorkha district, Gandaki of Nepal. Geographically, the project lies between 28⁰15⁰01⁰ N to 28⁰16⁰30⁰ N and 84⁰43⁰00⁰ E to 84⁰44⁰30⁰ E. Upper Daraudi Hydropower Project is a high head run-off river type project with the design discharge 4 m3/s. The installed capacity is 9.71 MW with two units of Pelton turbine each of capacity 4.855 MW. It has a net head of 286.07 m and 344.36 m long headrace canal as water conveyance from settling basin to headpond followed by 1783 m long headrace tunnel to surge tank where a penstock of 419.3 m is connected to powerhouse. The dry and wet season total energy production are 6.42GWh and 41.79 GWh respectively. The total cost of the project is NRs. 1,24,24,55,560 with B/C ratio of 1.32, modified B/C ratio of 1.61 and IRR of 20.37%. The payback period is 4.9 years. The cost per MW power generation of the project is NRs 13,78,08,923. Hence the project is considered as highly feasible. The project is focused on hydraulic design of civil structures and outlining its arrangements regarding their size with respect to the locality constraints and suitability.