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.



Source : The Hindu

Latest Current Affairs

See All