New Delhi: State-owned NHPC Limited said in a regulatory filing on Thursday that it signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Vidhyut Utpadan Company Limited (VUCL) for the joint development of the Phukot Karnali Hydropower Project in Nepal. The MoU exchange took place in the presence of Prime Minister Modi and the Prime Minister of Nepal on Thursday, i.e., June 1.
The Phukot Karnali Hydropower Project is a run-of-the-river hydropower venture located in the Kalikot district of Karnali Province, Nepal. With a capacity of 480 MW, this project holds immense potential to contribute to Nepal's energy sector. NHPC's collaboration with VUCL marks a significant step forward in strengthening bilateral ties and harnessing the hydropower resources in Nepal.
A run-of-the-river hydropower venture refers to a type of hydropower project that harnesses the natural flow of a river to generate electricity. Unlike conventional hydropower projects that rely on large reservoirs and dams to store water, run-of-the-river projects utilise the river's flow directly, without significantly altering the natural flow or creating a substantial reservoir.
In a run-of-the-river hydropower system, a portion of the river's flow is diverted through an intake structure and channeled into a penstock, which is a pipeline or conduit that carries the water to a turbine. The force of the flowing water causes the turbine to rotate, which in turn drives a generator to produce electricity. After passing through the turbine, the water is returned back to the river through a tailrace, without being stored in a reservoir.
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