Nim Dorji  | Trongsa

The Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project resumed generation at 8 p.m. on October 2 after it was briefly shut down as a precautionary measure following the flash flood in the Chamdey Gangchu stream on Thursday.

The project was shut down around Midnight after the floodwater created an artificial dam above Bjeezam in Trongsa.  The backflow of water from the artificial lake has submerged the manual gauge and monitoring station of the project’s early flood warning system.

Generation stopped as the floodgates of the dam were opened to let the floodwater out. It was learnt that power generation was more than 400MW yesterday. The installed capacity for the plant was 720MW.

According to officials, the water volume is enough to use only three turbines, which are also not generating power at full generation capacity.

The agriculture minister, Yeshey Penjor visited the flood site on Saturday, October 3, and initiated the construction of a temporary bridge and mitigation work at the artificial dam.

Lyonpo said that it is important to carry the mitigation work on the artificial dam as it will be risky for the dam if it bursts in the future. “Millions of Ngultrums are lost when MHPA is not generating power for a single day,” he said.

A temporary bridge was constructed to help the people of 11 villages and the Nubi gewog after the bridge was washed away by the flashflood on Thursday. Lyonpo said a permanent bridge will be planned later after proper research.

De-Suups, dzongkhag and gewog officials, RBP personnel and officials from MHPA took part in the flood restoration works.

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