The Lower Modi Hydroelectric Project is expected to come online this October after its construction work was held up for more than six months due to various problems.

The project said that work was being expedited to complete the power plant on schedule.

The 20 MW project is located in Parbat district in western Nepal. Initially, the project had planned to start producing power in mid-February 2016. However, shortages of fuel and construction materials caused by the trade embargo pushed back the completion deadline.

“As of now, 75 percent of the construction work has been completed,” said Surendra Belbase, an official of the project. “We expect the project to start generating energy by October.”

The project has targeted producing 117 million units of electricity annually. The project has been promoted by a consortium of 11 banks led by Nepal Investment Bank and co-led by Sunrise Bank and varied industrial organizations like the KL Dugar Group, Murarka Group, Hydro Solutions Group and Debenara Group.

The construction of major structures like the tunnel, powerhouse and dam is in the final stages.

“If things go as planned, the project will be completed by the revised deadline,” said Ashish Gautam, engineer for the project.

Workers have completed 35 metres of the tunnel’s total length of 42 metres. The estimated cost of the plant is Rs3.60 billion, but it is expected to swell to Rs4 billion due to delays, the project said.

The project has acquired 107 ropanis of land. The foundation stone for the run-of-river type project was laid on March 4, 2009.

A 4.5-km long transmission line with a capacity of 132 kV will be erected to evacuate the power generated by the plant. The project has obtained a survey licence for the route alignment of the power line.