MANGDECHHU POWER PROJECT

Dec. 5, 2018

Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale announced that in the coming weeks, India is expected to commission Mangdechhu hydropower project in Bhutan.

About:

The Mangdechhu hydroelectric project is a 750MW run-of-river power plant being built on the Mangdechhu River in Trongsa Dzongkhag District of central Bhutan.
Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority (MHPA), which is constituted by the Indian Government and the Royal Government of Bhutan, is developing the project.
Most of the electricity generated by the project will be used to meet the energy requirements of Bhutan and the surplus electricity will be exported to India.
The project is funded by the Government of India through a 70% loan and a 30% grant.
Background:
- Mangdechhu is one of the ten hydroelectric projects planned under the Bhutan’s initiative to generate 10,000MW hydropower by 2020 with support from the Government of India.
- Construction of the hydropower project began in 2012.
Comment:
- The Foreign Secretary’s comments came at the end of a conference organised to mark half century of diplomatic ties between Delhi and Thimphu.
- Commissioning of the project will mark a highpoint in bilateral ties in the coming months. Cooperation in the hydropower sector is a sign of strength of the time-tested ties between the two countries.