Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Ltd

Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Limited is the company behind the Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project (UTKHEP) the largest hydropower plant in Nepal. The project harnesses the waters of the Tamakoshi River, using a substantial hydraulic head of 822 m and a run-of-river, peaking design with six Pelton-type turbine units. With installed capacity of 456 MW, the Upper Tamakoshi plant commissioned in full in 2021 was envisioned to produce up to 2,281 GWh annually, significantly boosting Nepal’s domestic electricity supply and reducing dependence on imports or foreign energy. Because it’s a peaking plant, during dry seasons it provides the essential flexibility to meet peak demand, while during rainy season it contributes substantially to the national grid. The company was originally established in March 2007 by the national utility Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) to serve as the executing and owning agency for this ambitious project. Shareholding is structured such that 51% is held by public/state-related entities (NEA, Nepal Telecom (NTC), Citizen Investment Trust (CIT), and Rastriya Beema Sansthan (RBS)), with the remainder allocated among general public, residents of Dolakha district, Employees Provident Fund contributors, and staff of NEA or other financial institutions. Given its size, generation potential, and domestic financing base, Upper Tamakoshi represents a landmark in Nepal’s push for energy self-sufficiency, renewable energy adoption, and domestic infrastructure investment. Beyond electricity generation, the project’s success has broader implications for economic development, energy security, export potential, and stabilization of supply especially given Nepal’s historic reliance on seasonal hydropower and imports.