Hydropower Project Suffers One Billion Rupees Loss from Disasters

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 30, 2026

The 14 MW Gharkhola Hydropower Project in Myagdi has suffered nearly one billion rupees in damages after floods and landslides forced a complete shutdown of electricity generation. Reconstruction efforts aim to restart the plant within a year, as officials assess losses and plan to replace destroyed machinery imported from abroad.

The 14 MW Gharkhola Hydropower Project in Annapurna Rural Municipality, Myagdi, has sustained approximately one billion rupees in damages following recent floods and landslides, according to a preliminary assessment by the Myagdi Hydropower Company.

The project, which began operations less than three years ago, has completely ceased electricity generation after two natural disasters severely impacted its infrastructure. The powerhouse, located in Pokharebagar, and the dam site at Kurilabagar—situated on the border of Ward No. 5 (Shikha) and Ward No. 6 (Ghar) in Annapurna Rural Municipality—were both heavily damaged.

A dry landslide that occurred during the last week of the Nepali month Shrawan caused significant destruction to the powerhouse, destroying machinery and electrical equipment. Anil Tiwari, an employee of the project, reported that the landslide originated from a hillside above the powerhouse, impacting its physical structure and internal components. This event resulted in one fatality, with a worker buried under the landslide debris.

Subsequently, floods and additional landslides in the second week of Ashoj further damaged penstock pipes and anchor blocks at the dam site, exacerbating the project’s condition. The damage has led to a complete halt in the plant’s electricity production, which had previously contributed approximately 78.65 gigawatt-hours annually to Nepal’s national grid via the Dana-Khurkot transmission line.

Tiwari described the impact as “extensive” and noted the financial and emotional toll on investors and staff. Efforts to rebuild have already begun, with plans to resume operations within a year. The reconstruction will require importing new machinery and electrical equipment from abroad, as the existing components were destroyed.

An insurance company is currently conducting an evaluation of the damages to both physical infrastructure and equipment, while a detailed technical assessment is still underway. Project officials remain committed to restoring the facility despite the significant setbacks caused by the monsoon-related disasters.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.