Bjimthangka, Wangdue – August 15, 2024
A major milestone has been achieved in the ongoing collaboration between the Royal Government of Bhutan and the Government of India with the Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project. Thirteen years after signing the Inter-governmental Agreement to implement this Project, the spinning of the turbines for Unit 1 and Unit 2 is set to commence on August 15, 2024, an auspicious day that will mark the commencement of testing and commissioning of 1020 MW Punatsangchhu-II, much-anticipated mega hydropower project in Bhutan.
The Agreement, signed on April 30, 2010, was aimed at harnessing hydropower potential for the mutual benefit of the two countries. Despite facing various challenges during the execution, including geological, hydrological, and COVID-19 pandemic, the Project has successfully overcome these obstacles.
The Project has already achieved key milestones, including the filling of reservoir on February 21, 2024, the filling of headrace tunnel on June 27, 2024, the filling of tailrace tunnel on August 2, 2024 and the filling of pressure shaft on August 12, 2024. The commencement of testing and commissioning of the project on August 15, 2024 is the culmination of these achievements.
August 15, 2024, will be a historic day as the first two turbines will spin for the first time, signifying that the hydro-mechanical components are ready for testing and commissioning. Following this, the units will be integrated with electrical and communication systems, and generation of energy will commence thereafter.
The plan is to commission all six units of the project by December 2024, with the project estimated to cost around Nu. 94.457 billion.
