Location : Medtsho, Lhuentse
Capacity : 32 MW
Project scheme : Run-of-the-river
Design energy : 157.6 MU
Project cost : Nu. 3,660 million
Project schedule : 2022 – 2025
Yungichhu hydropower project is a run-off the river scheme planned across Yungichhu. The project is located near Onngar Village in Maedtsho Gewog about 34 km away from Mongar-Lhuentse national highway. Yungichhu is a tributary of Kurichhu which in turn is a tributary of Drangmechhu, the biggest river basin of Bhutan. The catchment area at the intake site is 125 sq.km and the river joins another tributary, Wambur at an elevation of about 1176 masl.
The intake is located at an elevation of 1706 masl and powerhouse is located at an elevation of 1200 masl at the confluence of Yungichhu and Wambur. The intake and powerhouse sites are 12 km away from the Gortshom Gewog center. The project sites are accessible via road from India border towns through four alternative routes; Nganglam, Samdrup Jongkhar, Gelephu and Phuentsholing with the shortest being 217 km from Nganglam-Gyalpoizhing for the transportation of equipment, construction materials, etc.