An MoU for development of the 490-mw Arun-4 hydropower project was signed today (May 16, 2022) in Nepal in the presence of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and his Nepal counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba.
The MoU was signed by Nand Lal Sharma Chairman & Managing Director, SJVN and. Kulman Ghising, Managing Director, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).
JV route
The 490-mw Arun -4 hydropower project will be developed in joint venture mode by SJVN and Nepal Electricity Authority. SJVN will be the majority stakeholder in the JV.
Located upstream of the Arun-3 hydropower project, Arun-4 is expected to generate 2,100 million kwh of electricity per year. The estimated developmental cost of Arun-4, located in Sankhuwasabha district, Province-1 of Nepal is Rs.4,900 crore.
Third in Nepal
For SJVN, this is the third project in Nepal following Arun-3 (900 mw, under construction) and Lower Arun (669 mw, survey & investigation stage). These three projects aggregate 2,059 mw of installed capacity. SJVN is targeted a portfolio of 5,000 mw in Nepal, by 2030. In addition, SJVN is also constructing a 217-km 400kV associated transmission system for power evacuation from these hydropower projects.
Also read: SJVN Bags Floating Solar, Wind-Solar Hybrid Projects
Shared Vision
According to Nand Lal Sharma, CMD, SJVN, “With a total portfolio of around 31,500 mw, SJVN now has power projects of more than 30 GW capacity under operation and different stages of development. These recent additions of new projects are leading the company towards actualizing of its Shared Vision of 5,000 mw by 2023, 25,000 mw by 2030 and 50,000 mw installed capacity by 2040.”