In its first major venture into hydropower construction, the Construction Development Corporation Limited (CDCL) is building some parts of the Nikachhu Hydropower Project’s tunnel.
The inauguration of the tunneling work was held yesterday.
The CDCL, a company that focused on constructing roads and bridges until now, is the first Bhutanese company to undertake hydropower tunneling works.
It will construct a little more than 3 kilometres of adit for the headrace tunnel of the 118 megawatt Nikachhu Hydropower Project in Tangsibji, Trongsa. Adit is a passage to the main tunnel.
The company will execute the work as the sub-contractor for the Hindustan Construction Company Limited.
Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay who graced the inauguration of the tunneling work said about 90 kilometers of tunnels have been constructed in the country since the first one was built in Chhukha in 1978. Lyonchhen said Bhutanese companies taking up the work is a pride for the country.
“Our own company carrying out the work using only Bhutanese workers is a big thing,” said the Prime Minister. “We should all be very proud of it.”
The CEO of CDCL, Phuntsho Gyeltshen, shared that the preparatory works for its first major hydropower venture was carried out over the past three years. “After it was approved by the DHI, we bought equipment worth more than Nu 2m,” said the CEO.
“From machine operators to engineers, we are prepared in terms of manpower too,” he added.
The construction of the Nu 300m tunnel is scheduled for completion by the end of 2019.
The Nikachhu Hydropower Project is being implemented by the Tangsibji Hydro Energy Limited, a fully owned subsidiary company of the Druk Green formed in April 2014, for the purpose.
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