Pokhara, August 21:

Power generation at the Phewa Hydro Electricity Project at Pardi of Pokhara-17 has been halted from the past one month after the locals stopped supplying water to the canal carrying water to the powerhouse.

Farmers have been using the water from the Phewa Lake, directed to the powerhouse through a canal, to irrigate land at Biruwa Phant since July 17 and the 1,000 kiloWatt powerhouse has been shut due to lack of water to run its turbines, chief of Phewa Hydro Electricity Project, Santosh Jha said. Local Consumers’ Committee obstruct flow of water in the canal for three months every year during the paddy plantation season, a staff at the powerhouse, Madhav Neupane said.

All four turbines have been stopped. The power production will begin once farmers let water flow in the canal from mid-October, Neupane said. Meanwhile, power generation from 1,500 kiloWatt Seti Hydro Electricity Project in Pokhara has been halted since five days due to technical problem.