September 6: The Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project (UTHP) has finally begun commercial production almost a decade after the construction of the project started. The project with capacity of 456MW began generating electricity in full swing from Sunday (September 5), according to the state-owned national news agency RSS.    
In course of construction, the project faced numerous obstacles such as natural disaster, border blockade, catastrophic earthquake of 2015 and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, RSS reported. The mega project of electricity with sole domestic investment has successfully started  commercial production, RSS quoted Chief Executive Officer of UTHP, Bigyan Prasad Shretha as saying.    
The beginning of the commercial production was observed with peace prayers as per the Buddhist tradition in Bigu Rural Municipality-1 of Dolakha district.    
Although the project was inaugurated on July 5, production in full capacity started only from September 5. The electricity generated from the project has been linked to the newly constructed 220/132 KV substation in Khimti and is connected to a 220 double-circuit transmission line. The substation is again linked to 400 KV substation located at Dhalkebar.    
The foundation stone of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project was laid by then Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal on September 3, 2011.    
The initial investment of the project was Rs 35.29 billion which has now reached to Rs 52 billion due to various reasons such as change in the design, hike in payment to the consultants for extended term of construction, inflation among others. After adding interest to the investment cost, the total investment of the project has  climbed to Rs 84 billion.    
Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has 41 percent share in the project. The cost of producing per unit power is Rs 3.50 in an average.