Microhydro Power Plant in Chendebji, Bhutan

In 2005, we completed a 70 kW run-of-the-river microhydro power plant to electrify Chendebji, a remote village in the heart of Bhutan. The plant is located on the Lamchela Chu River, close to 2,500 metres above sea level, and provides much-needed low-cost and low-emissions electricity to villagers for the first time. We commissioned the plant in 2005 and officially transferred the facilities to the Royal Bhutan Government’s Department of Energy (DOE).

A central part of the project was the development of a community-based management model that was a pilot for the DOE to develop future off-grid microhydro facilities in remote areas of the country. Owned by the DOE but managed by the Chendebji Microhydropower Management Committee, this rural electrification scheme involved the community in the project planning and implementation. Local geography makes the task of electrifying remote communities in the Himalayas extremely challenging. This model is an innovative way for villagers to access clean, modern electricity.

At commissioning, 50 households in the village were connected to the Chendebji power station. Access to electricity contributed to the development of small enterprises, including a new guesthouse, store and restaurant built near the village. The government has since connected two adjacent villages (Nyala and Drangla) to the power station. To further reduce the use of wood for cooking and heating, every household was given an electric rice cooker and water boiler.

At the request of the villagers, excess energy produced by the plant was used to heat water which was made available at a free communal bathing and washing facility.

Access to clean and modern electricity for the first time brought other major improvements to the lives of the villagers, including:

• More time available for studies and cottage industry activities (such as weaving) after sunset from 30 minutes (total burning time of a kerosene lamp) to 1.5 hours or more
• Better health conditions by reducing indoor smoke from firewood and kerosene
• Less time spent collecting firewood, so more time could be used for agriculture and other income-generating activities
• Access to new electricity-powered learning devices, including televisions and computers, to facilitate education for children and adults even during evening hours
• Newly electrified village dispensary, enabling use of vaccine refrigerators, telemedicine, and other electric medical devices

The microhydro power plant was officially registered as a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) project under the terms of the Kyoto Protocol in May 2005. Not only was this the first CDM-registered project for GSEP, it was also the first CDM project for Bhutan and the sixth to be registered in the world. Full information on its CDM registration can be found in the UNFCCC’s website. The project’s first certified emission reduction credits (CER) were validated in January 2007 and 474 CERs were issued in April 2007. These CERs were shared between the government of Bhutan and GSEP. The UNFCCC also published a summary of the project and its benefits.