Hydropower development in the context of climate change: Exploring conflicts and fostering cooperation across scales and boundaries in the Eastern Himalayas

(CoCooN-CCMCC Project)

CoCooN-Exchange, The Hague

Institute of Social Studies and Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Hari K. Shrestha

November 25-27, 2015

Conflict-less Hydropower Development

Site: Tamor Basin (Nepal) and Teesta Baisn (India)

Hewa Khola Flow Analysis Sites

Approximate HPP locations in Hewa Khola Basin, Tamor, Nepal

Hydropower Projects in Hewa Khola Watershed

Existing Projects

S.N. Projects Capacity MW

River Promoter VDC/ District

1 Pheme Khola

0.995 Pheme Khoranga Khola Hydropower Development Company Pvt.Ltd

Panchthar

2 Phidim 0.24 Pheme NEA Panchthar 3 Middle

Pheme 0.15 Pheme BK Power Dev.

Company Panchthar

Projects Under Construction 4 Hewa

Khola A 14.9 Hewa Panchthar

Power Company P. Ltd

Bharapa, Nangeen, Yanganam, Panchthar

5 Lower Hewa

21.6 (revised)

Hewa Mountain Hydro Nepal P. Ltd.

Panchthar

Hydropower Projects in the vicinity of the Study Area

Hydropower Projects in Hewa Khola Watershed

Others Projects (List of Survey Licenses and Cancelled Licenses) S.N. Projects Capacity

MW River Promoter VDC/ District

1 Muwa Khola

0.998 Muwa Phidim Hydro and Energy P. Ltd.

Panchthar

2 Hewa-A small HEP

5 Hewa Engineers Saving and Credit Cooperative Ltd.

Yanganam, Ekteen Panchthar

3 Lower Pheme Khola

2.2 Pheme Arun Valley Hydropower Devlopment Co. P. Ltd.

Nangeen, Phidim, Bharapa Panchthar

4 Upper Pheme Khola

2.5 Pheme Aqua Himal Hydropower P. Ltd.

Nangeen, Ranitar Panchthar

Hydropower Projects in the vicinity of the Study Area

Summary: Nepal is suffering from an acute shortage of energy (up to 16 hours of power-cut per day). Hydropower is considered to be relatively a clean source of energy; many hydropower projects (HPP) are coming up in Nepal. Access to river water is contested for drinking, livelihood, environment and hydropower. Due to lack of data and awareness, conflict between local residents and HPP proponents frequently arise during project execution.

The local government agencies (DDCs and VDCs) do not have capacity to develop and implement complicated methods of water sharing (holistic e-flow assessment, time dependent evapotranspiration and crop type/growth related water needs, and water supply and industrial water needs).

In consultation with DDCs/VDCs and their expected capacity, a simple spreadsheet based method was developed to allocate basin-wise monthly water available for HPP development.

Factors considered: monthly variations in (a) river flow, (b) e-flow, (c) crop cycle/type, (d) population increase, (e) water supply, (f) industrial and “other” water needs, and (g) rainfall.

With development of technical capacity, the method can accommodate more water demanding parameters, changes in agricultural practices/irrigation methods, and climate change impacts on river water flow.

Once the method becomes a basis for approval of a planned HPP, it is expected that the HPP development in Nepal will be comparatively conflict-less, regarding river water diversion for HPP.

For further info: contact hari@nec.edu.np