Nepal’s first hydropower project is known as the Pharping Hydropower Plant, also referred to as the Pharping I Hydropower Project. It is located in Pharping, a village in the Kathmandu District of Nepal. The Pharping Hydropower Plant has a capacity of 500 kilowatts (kW) and was commissioned in 1911.
While the Pharping Hydropower Plant holds the distinction of being Nepal’s first hydropower project, it is relatively small in size compared to the larger hydropower plants that have been developed in the country over the years. Nepal is endowed with abundant water resources, including rivers and streams, which makes it highly suitable for hydropower generation.
Since the commissioning of the Pharping Hydropower Plant, Nepal has developed several other hydropower projects of varying capacities. Some notable larger-scale hydropower projects in Nepal include the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project, Upper Bhotekoshi Hydropower Project, Upper Marsyangdi Hydropower Project, and the Upper Karnali Hydropower Project, among others. These projects contribute significantly to Nepal’s electricity generation and help meet the country’s growing energy demands.
