TRIVHUWAN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING

KANTIPUR ENGINEERING COLLEGE

DHAPAKHEL-2,LALITPUR

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

“A MODEL OF UPPER TAMAKOSHI HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT”

Prepared by: ArunChapagain (05/BCE/073)

Hari Krishna K.C. (13/BCE/073)

JeewanAwasthi (15/BCE/073)

Keshab Raj Subedi (18/BCE/073)

Nishan Mainali (20/BCE/073)

Bhuwan Kandel (52/BCE/073)

December 2018
Acknowledgements
“A model of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project” has been designed for the development of
versatile skills and knowledge for the participants of third year student of civil engineering
involved. In spite of short period and divine enlightenment of actual project we are able to
present as detail as possible relevant in pre-feasibility studies.

We are heartily thankful to the Department Of Civil Engineering of Kantipur

Engineering college, to their great support and encouragement. We would equally like to
acknowledge our obligation to Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project and experts to approve
and provide us with relevant optimally necessary data for the model. We would like to express
our sincere gratitude to Er. Sabin Poudel, Er. Niraj Bohora who persistently guided us all along.
We would equally like to express our gratitude to Er. Suman Neupane , Er. Nabin Tiwari sir, Er.
Kamal Katuwal ,Er. Pratikshya Pradhan, Dr. Surendra Tamrakar, Er. Ima Nath Duwadi , Er. Kriti
Dhungana for their valuable guidance. We are always thankful to Er. Sudeep Thapa (HOD, Civil
Department) for his kind cooperation over us.

We would like to record our appreciation to the people who are directly and indirectly
involved to bring the model to this level.we are grateful to all our teachers, staffs and friends
who have contributed, in any stage, for the completion of the model.
Abstract
This title of the project is designing a prototype of an under construction hydropower plant. The
project scopes were design, construct model, analyze, and implement to real world of an efficient
hydropower plant. The design objective is to build out a useful, effective, convenience, reliable,
environment friendly and safe to use hydropower plant. Research has been done to fulfil the
requirement. Different kinds of hydropower plant have been going through to aid in gathering
information and hence implemented a new ideal of hydropower plant. The new hydropower plant
from this project was an efficient, portable and able to function in many different kind of flow to
generate electricity.
Salient Features
The principle features of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project are summarized
below.

General

Name of the project : Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower project

Type : Run-of-the-River

Location : Gaurishankar Conservation area, Dolakha district

Latitude : 27°55’30’’

Longitude : 86°12’47’’

Hydrology

Catchment area of dam : 1,745 m2

Catchment area : 12 lakhs m3

Designed discharge : 66 m3/s

Minimum monthly average discharge : 14.1 m3/s

Annual average discharge : 67.2 m3/s

Designed flood discharge : 885 m3/s

Headworks

Dam

Dam type : Concrete gravity dam (diversion dam )

Length : 78m

Height : 27m (approx.)

No. of spillway gate : 4 (5m*5m)

(lower spillway gate (together with retaining wall &with concrete stilling basin 60m*46m)

(Long overflow section of 60m long incorpating 6 no. of trash racks (4m*5m) from intake
structure leading to twin settling basins.)

Intake

Length : 38m

No. of trash racks : 6 (4m*5m)

No. of intake gate : 2 (4m*4m)

No. of surface flushing gate : 1 (4m*5m)

No. of concrete culverts : 2(6m*4m) (from intake structure to twin settling basin)

Design Flow : 66 m3/s

(power intake with fine trash rack (5.75m*12.3m), and 50m long culverts leading to headrace
tunnel portal)
Intake str. On Bhaise Khola

including connecting shaft &tunnel in total about 130m long to the headrace tunnel

 Construction access audit at Bhaise khola approx. 394m long with 22m cross section
 Construction acess audit to headrace pressure shaft approx. 895m long with 22.4 sq.
metre cross section an approx. 30m long concrete plug with bulk head

Gravel Trap

Length :70m

(rock trap 70m long upstream of surge shaft/ surge tunnel)

Flushing Arrangement

Flushing mechanism : conventional type

Approach canal

Shape : Rectangular

Length :6m

Width :4m

Number :2
Settling basin

2 no. of semi partitioned settling basin

Effective length : 225m (in co-operating flushing culverts and flushing chute to control service
building)

Effective width : 26m

No. of chambers : 2

Headrace tunnel

Shape of tunnel : D-shaped

Type : low pressure headrace tunnel

Length : 8.4km(cross sectional area=32.14m2)

Finished diameter :6.00m

Height : 6.00 m

Width : 6.00m

Slope : 1) from starting to Bhaise khola i.e. upto bhaise headworks

0.5286%(L=2914.57m)

2) from Bhaise headwork to another slope change point

8.261%(L=915.03m)

3) from that slope change point penstock pipe 0.3%(L=4027.16m)

(construction acess audit to headrace pressure shaft, approximately 895m long with 22.4 m2 cross
section and approximately 30m long concrete plug with bulkhead )
Power and Energy

Gross head : 822m

Net head : 820m(approx.) in design

Installed capacity : 456MW

Annual Energy Generation : 2,281GWh

Penstock Pipe

Length : 1,134.0(vertical shaft &horizontal tunnel)

Length of vertical shaft of penstock : 310m

Cross sectional area : 13.2 m2

Penstock shaft : steel lined

(Surge shaft , approximately 410m long with 19.6 m2 cross section and surge chambers with total
volume about 12,500 m3, connected by a tunnel about 150m long to the headrace tunnel)

(penstock tunnel, steel lined, approximately 195m long varying in internal lined diameter from
3.60m to 1.47m with 6 no. 1.47m diameter branches each about 25m long into the powerhouse)

Powerhouse

Type of powerhouse : Underground

Length : 142m

Width : 13m
Height : 30m

No. of units :6

(main acess tunnel to powerhouse cavern, approximately 1200m long with 43.7 m2 cross section)

Main powerhouse cavern, approximately 145m long, 13m wide, 30m high9maximum)including
all structural work, housing the inlet valves, turbines, generators and auxiliary equipment

Transformer gallery parallel to the main powerhouse cavern, approximately 164m long, 13m
wide and maximum17m high including all structural work, housing the transformers and GIS
switchgear

Tailrace Tunnel

Shape : D-shaped

Length : 2.9km(cross sectional area=35.0m2)

Depth :5.40m

Width :6.80m(internal)

7.20m(external)

Radius :4.50m

Bed slope : 0.1258%

(free-surface flow tailrace tunnel, with concrete lined invert and walls, 2985m long with 35m2

Cross section, outlet structure with emergency gate(6m*4.1m))

Economic Indicators

Total estimated cost :NRs. 35.29 Billion equivalent to US $441 million(excluding interest
during construction)

Internal rate of return(IRR) : 24.41 %

B/C : 2.94

Others

Construction time period : 6yrs

Transmission line : 220KVA Double circuit, 47.0km

(Gongar to Khimti Substation)

Acess road from charikot of Dolakha district : 68km

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The gross head of this project is 822 metre with the design discharge of 67.2 cumecs. The rated
net head is calculated to be ……..m after deducing the probable losses. The installed capacity of
the project will be 456MW. The total energy generated in 1 year is 2,281 GWh .

The estimated total cost of this project Rs. 35.29 Billion. The internal rate of return (IRR) is
found to be 24.41%.

From the financial analysis the benefit cost ratio is found to be 2.94
 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The objective of this model is to show the exact view of real model in a scaled view.

The main objectives are listed below:

 To be familiar with the various aspects of hydropower planning and development.

 To know about the major components of hydropower project.
 To study about calculated power and energy of project.
 To study about environmental impact and mitigration measures.
 To study about estimation and costing.
 To study about financial analysis and sensitivity analysis of the project.

Four Uses of Modelling

 Learning – answering questions about performance or feasibility – e.g., proof-of-concept model
 Communication – demonstration of product for feedback – e.g., 3D physical models of style or
function
 Integration – combination of sub-systems into system model – e.g., alpha or beta test models
 Milestones – goal for development team’s schedule – e.g., first testable hardware
Methodology

The entire work of this study is done by desk study. All the data were obtained from google map,
Annual progress report from web portal and by NEA and autocad drawing of general layout imn
plan, sectional view of dam, powerhouse etc by UTKHPL. After collecting all necessary data the
model is constructed in exact appropriate scale format. Since the longitudinal section is too much
long rather than elevation(height), so different scale is used for modeling for horizontal and
vertical.

Following are scale for our model:

For general layout of topography:

For horizontal

1:3700

For vertical

1:2500

In large scale of dam &settling basin:

For dam:

Horizontal

1:150

Vertical

1:100

For settling basin &others

Horizontal

1:325
Vertical

1:100
Scope and Limitation

This model has been constructed to visualize the exact layout of UTKHPL. Since we cannot
acess the all parts of tunnel & other component in exact field so this type of scale model will
helpful in studying, researching & analyzing the UTKHPL.

Following scopes are enlisted here:

 Study topography
 Study of different component of hydropower
 Analysis of project
 Researching of this project

Following are limitation of this project:

 The longitudinal section is too much long so,skipped some less important section in our
model,so complete topography is not included
 Section of mountain is too much height, which all isnot included
 Many data of our model is based on goggle map, which isnot accurate data source
INTRODUCTION

Hydropower is produced by converting the potential energy of river water to kinetic energy via a
turbine, and then to an electrical energy via a generator. The quantity of electricity generated is
determined by the volume of water flow and the amount of head (the height from turbines in the
power plant to the water surface) created by the water reservoir.

A typical hydropower plant includes a dam or a mountain reservoir, penstocks, a powerhouse

and an electrical power substation. The reservoir stores water and creates the head; penstocks
carry water from the reservoir to turbines inside the powerhouse; the water rotates the turbines,
which drive generators that produce electricity.

Figure 1.1: Hydro Power Plant

Because the water cycle is an endless, constantly recharging system, hydropower is considered a
renewable energy. In the late 19th century, hydropower was first used to generate electricity. The
first hydroelectric plant was built at Niagara Falls in 1879. In the years that followed, many more
hydropower dams were built.
 Figure 1.2 Water cycle

Hydro power is a very clean source of energy and only uses the water, the water after generating
electrical power, is available for other purposes. Due to this reason, hydropower plants become
more and more importance. There are few type of hydropower plant which depends on the size
which is the large, small, mini, micro, and Pico

1. Large Hydro (10 MW or more of generating capacity)

2. Small Hydro (1 to 10 MW of generating capacity)

3. Mini Hydro (100 KW to 1 MW of generating capacity)

4. Micro Hydro (5 KW to 100 KW of generating capacity)

5. Pico Hydro (less than 5 KW of generating capacity)

Introduction to Upper Tamakoshi hydropower limited:

The Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project is a 456 MW peaking run-of-the-

river hydroelectric project in Nepal. It the largest hydroelectric project in Nepal, and is slated for
completion in 2018.It is sited on the Tamakoshi River (also spelled TambaKoshi), a tributary of
the Sun Kosi river (also spelled Sunkoshi), near the Nepal–Tibet border.
The Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project is a Nepal national priority project. When it is
completed, it is projected be the largest hydroelectric plant in Nepal, with a power output
equivalent to two-thirds of Nepal's current power generation. The Project is entirely financed
from domestic financial institutions and companies.

Financing and organization

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has established an autonomous company named Upper

Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited (UTKHPL) in March 2007 (2063/11/25 B.S.) as an executing
agency for the implementation of the Project. There are six full-time and two invitee members in
the Board of Directors (BoD) at present. Out of six full-time members, four members from NEA,
one from Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and one from Nepal Telecom (NTC) are representing
in the BoD. Similarly, representatives of Citizen Investment Trust (CIT) and Rastriya Beema
Sansthan (RBS) are also in the BoD as invitee members.The majority share (51%) of the
Company is held by four public entities, namely, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Nepal
Telecom (NTC), Citizen Investment Trust (CIT) and Rastriya Beema Sansthan (RBS). NEA has
41% stake, NTC has 6% and CIT & RBS each has 2% stake in the Company. Similarly, general
public and residents of Dolakha District will have 15% and 10% share respectively. The
remaining 24% share will be taken over by contributors in Employees Provident Fund (EPF),
NEA &Companys staffs and staffs of financial institutions providing loans.
Construction

Figure1.3 : Upper TamakoshiAcess

Tunnel
Construction began in February 2011. Sinohydro is managing construction. The Nepalese Army
was mobilized to provide security to the site in 2012, after it was reportedly threatened by
vandalism and threats to construction staff and foreign workers.Work was disrupted by the April
2015 Nepal earthquake, after which over 200 Chinese workers were evacuated.Work was
disrupted throughout the construction project by labor strikes. The earthquake also caused
damage to roads and bridges and buried the troop barracks at the site.

In May, 2018, it was reported that the planned July completion date could be jeopardized by late
assembly of the turbomachinery that had been delivered to the site. Later in May, the country's
finance minister said that the project was expected to contribute to robust national economic
growth in 2018.

Infrastructure
Infrastructure for the plant includes a 142 m long, 25 m high underground powerhouse hall near
GongarKhola, with six Pelton wheels; a 22 m high × 60 m wide dam; a 360 m high surge shaft;
and a total of 16 km of headrace and tailrace tunnels. The gross head will be 822 m.

Location and Acessibility

Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric project is located in Lamabagar of Dolakha district, Janakpur,
Central development region. It is at north-east of Charikot, headquarters of Dolakha district
Hydraulic structures of Upper Tamakoshi hydroelectric Project

The project is run-of-river type with weir level at 1977.64 m and powerhouse level at 1557.50 m.
The water from intake is diverted to the water conveyance system through gravel trap, approach
canal, settling basin and headrace pipe. Then water is fed into powerhouse to hit the turbine and
generate electricity.

The diversion weir of 22m high concrete is proposed to divert the required water.
The project utilized design discharge and gross head of 67m3/s and 822m respectively.the
topography of area is characterized by steep slope. Abundant vegetation can be seen in the
project area. There are not any major landslides in the project area.

Besides, the major components of the project following hydraulic structures can be seen

 Diversion dam, orifice type side intake

 Intake canal
 Spillway
 Gravel trap with bed load flushing arrangement
 Approach canal
 Settling basin with flushing arrangement
 Tunnel surge tank
 Audit tunnel
 Penstock pipe
 Anchor blocks and support pier
 Powerhouse
 Tailrace canal
Data Collection

1)Maps

Topographic maps from Department of Survey, Tographic survey Branch.

2)Drawing provided by UTKHPL

General layout plan

Section of dam

Plan of dam

Powerhouse

3) Desk study

General layout is converted into our appropriate scale and model is constructed. Maximum data
obtained was based on google map and analysed topography with the help of profile obtained
from google map.