Massive floods in Nepal's Budhi Gandaki River basin have damaged four hydropower projects in Gorkha district, washing away bridges, construction equipment and parts of a project camp. The affected projects have a combined installed capacity of 412.09 MW. (Images: X)
Kathmandu: Massive floods in Nepal's Budhi Gandaki River basin have damaged infrastructure at four hydropower projects in western Gorkha district, raising fresh concerns about the vulnerability of the country's energy sector to extreme weather events. The floods struck early Sunday morning, sweeping away parts of settlements and damaging bridges, roads and facilities at project sites along the Budhi Gandaki River and its tributaries. The Independent Power Producers' Association, Nepal (IPPAN), said the four affected projects have a combined installed capacity of 412.09 MW.
The latest disaster comes after devastating floods in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers on August 26 caused extensive damage to Nepal's power generation and transmission infrastructure.
According to IPPAN, the floodwaters caused varying degrees of damage at four hydropower project sites in the Budhi Gandaki basin. The 341-MW Budhi Gandaki Hydropower Project suffered major damage to its main camp area, which was swept away by the floodwaters. Construction equipment at the site was also washed away. The project is currently under construction. At the 24.5-MW Dobhan Khola Hydropower Project, several houses in the camp area were damaged, while a Bailey bridge near the site was swept away.
The 30.59-MW Yaru Khola Hydropower Project also reported damage to a Bailey bridge used to support construction activities. Building materials and equipment were carried away by the floodwaters. Meanwhile, the access road and connecting bridge leading to the 16-MW Machha Khola Hydropower Project sustained damage, affecting infrastructure needed to reach the project site.
The latest flooding highlights the risks facing Nepal's hydropower ambitions as the country seeks to expand electricity generation and strengthen its position as a regional power exporter. With its mountainous terrain and numerous rivers, Nepal has significant hydropower potential. However, sudden floods, landslides and other extreme weather events can damage project facilities, disrupt construction and threaten supporting infrastructure. Damage to bridges and access roads can also complicate restoration work and the movement of personnel and equipment to affected sites. The full financial cost of the latest damage and its implications for project completion timelines were not specified in IPPAN's statement.
The latest incident follows the devastating floods that struck the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river systems on August 26, 2026. Those floods caused widespread damage to hydropower projects, solar energy facilities, electricity transmission networks and transport infrastructure. According to the World Bank's Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE), the August disaster affected 12 hydropower projects and one solar power project.
The assessment covered 281.1 MW of operational capacity and another 395.02 MW of capacity under construction. Damage to transmission lines and substations also disrupted the transmission of 149.6 MW of electricity to Nepal's national grid. The report put the total affected capacity at approximately 430.7 MW, equivalent to around 10.6% of Nepal's combined installed hydropower and solar capacity at the end of fiscal year 2025-26, which concluded in mid-July. These figures underline the potential consequences of extreme weather for electricity generation, grid connectivity and the country's wider energy development plans.
The August 2026 floods also caused a severe humanitarian crisis. According to Nepal's National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, the disaster claimed 1,455 lives, while 5,285 people remained missing. The scale of the destruction has intensified concerns about disaster preparedness and the resilience of infrastructure in flood-prone areas.
With further damage now reported in the Budhi Gandaki basin, the latest floods have again brought the risks to Nepal's hydropower infrastructure into focus. The extent of the new damage, its impact on construction schedules and the time required to restore affected facilities remain key questions.
