Country Nepal Status Operational Height 114 m | Purpose Power Construction began 1977 Surface area 220 ha | |
 | ||
Location Kulekhani, Makwanpur District, Narayani Zone Opening date 1982; 35 years ago (1982) Address Kulekhani Dam Rd, Kulekhani 44100, Nepal Hours Open today · Open 24 hoursSundayOpen 24 hoursMondayOpen 24 hoursTuesdayOpen 24 hoursWednesdayOpen 24 hoursThursdayOpen 24 hoursFridayOpen 24 hoursSaturdayOpen 24 hours Owner Nepal Electricity Authority Similar Upper Tamakoshi Hydroele, Dakshinkali Temple, Bardiya National Park, Marshyangdi | ||
Roads of nepal bike ride around kulekhani dam
The Kulekhani Dam is a rock-fill dam on the Kulekhani River near Kulekhani in Makwanpur District of Narayani Zone, Nepal. The primary purpose of the dam is hydroelectric power generation and it supports the 60 MW Kulekhani I and 32 MW Kulekhani II Hydropower Stations. Construction began in 1977 and Kulekhani I was commissioned in 1982. Kulekhani II was commissioned in 1986 and a third power station, the 14 MW Kulekhani III was expected to be commissioned in May 2015 but is delayed to issues with the builder. The US$117.84 million project received funding from the World Bank, Kuwait Fund, UNDP, Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund and OPEC Fund. It is owned by Nepal Electricity Authority.
Contents
The 114 m (374 ft) tall dam creates a reservoir called Indra Sarobar which stores 85,300,000 m3 (69,200 acre·ft) of water. From the reservoir, water is sent to the Kulekhani I Hydropower Station via a 5.8 km (3.6 mi) headrace tunnel to a gate house which controls the flow of water to the power station. From the gate house water travels down a 1,340 m (4,400 ft) long penstock where it reaches the underground power station. It contains two 30 MW Pelton turbine-generators. The difference in elevation between the reservoir and the power station affords a net hydraulic head of 550 m (1,800 ft). Water discharged from the power station then enters a series of tunnels and diversions where it reaches the Kulekhani II Hydropower Station which is also located underground and contains two 16 MW Francis turbine-generators. The elevation difference between the reservoir and the power station affords a net hydraulic head of 284.1 m (932 ft). The dam and reservoir are in the Bagmati River basin while the power stations are in the Rapti River basin.
Construction of the Kulekhani III Hydropower Station has been underway since 2008 and is expected to be complete in August 2017. It will use the tailwaters of Kulekhani II and have an installed capacity of 14 MW.