Evaluation of Bid Proposals Supervision and Management of Construction of Solu Hydroelectric Project (23.5 MW)

Funding Agency: ICTC / Blue Energy P. Ltd
Client: Upper Solu hydro Electric Company Pvt.Ltd (USHEC) ; Narayanchaur, Kathmandu
Date: Oct. 2014 – June 2018 

Solu hydroelectric Project (SHEP) is located in Solu Khola in Salleri and Garma VDCs of Solukhumbu District (Project Coordinates: Northing: 27°26’42” to 27°28’48”/ Easting: 86°34’06” to 86°35’00”) in Sagarmatha Zone in the eastern Development Region of Nepal. The project has an installed capacity of 23.5 MW.

i.     SHEP is a run of the river Development. The Design discharge of the plant is 12.26 m³/s

ii.    The gross Head is 229.3 m. The design flood level is 1998.33 meters above sea level. The water flows through a concrete open culvert type approach canal which is 70 m in length. The headworks also includes components like Gravel Traps, Setting Basin and Headpond The water then flows through a side intake, a component of headworks. Water not going into the intake flows over the diversion weir (free overflow with spillway) of length 26 m and height 5.5 m.

iii.   Water is conveyed to the powerhouse through penstocks. There are two types of penstock pipes used, namely, low pressure penstock pipes and high pressure penstock pipes. The low pressure penstock pipes are circular steel pipe, which are buried. They have an internal diameter of 2.5 m. and a thickness of 10 mm. Total length of low pressure penstock pipes is 3855 m. The high pressure penstock pipe is also a circular steel type, but with an internal diameter of 1.9 m. its thickness is 9-29 mm and is 397 m long. The Powerhouse is of surface type with Dimension: 34.0 m (L) x 19.5m (B) x 31.9 m (H). There are two Francis Turbines with a Design discharge per unit: 6.13 m³/sec. There are two suspended type generators, with a rated output of 13.82 MVA.  The tailrace canal is concrete culvert of length 65 m. however the canal is not closed in all the sections, with a total length of 20 m being open canal. The open canal is 5.7 m wide and7 m wide.

iv.  The Surge Tank (with inclined surge shaft made of steel pipe and upper chamber made of Concrete Structures) is Orifice type, Variable area chamber, Inclined.

Switchyard (132 KV transmission line from the switchyard of the powerhouse to nearby Grid Substation for power evacuation.) The Transmission Line is 3 km in length. These are single circuit with double circuit towers (No. of circuits). There are 7 transformers with 2 banks of 3 single phase transformer and one spare). The rated capacity of the transformer is 5 MVA. The Grid Inter Connecting Substation is at Lamane. The construction period for the project is 4 years.

Overall Services provided:

Total Management Services Pvt. Ltd in Joint Venture with ITECO Nepal Pvt. Ltd is responsible for providing following services.

A.   Detail Design and construction drawings

1. Review of Designs
2. Review and approval of construction drawings based on the Detail Engineering Design.
3. Detail Design and Construction Drawings
4. Review and approve the construction drawings prepared by the contractors based on the Detail Engineering Designs of the project based on which tender documents have been prepared.
5. Review Equipment contractor’s drawings as they are received and ensure that they meet the requirements of the technical specifications envisaged for the project.

B.   Construction Supervision

1. Construction supervision of civil, electro-mechanical, hydro-mechanical and transmission line works.
2. Monitor and supervise construction activities and that the work is carried out in accordance with the contract.
3. Monitoring of works so as to ensure that the works are proceeding as per the latest construction schedule, and that the quality assurance requirements are satisfied.
4. Monitor the contractor’s surveys, control points and setting out as work proceeds.
5. Supervise quality of works performed.
6. Construction Plan & Schedule
7. Inspect and control Construction Activities
8. Review and Approval of Contractor’s Work Program, Equipment, Plant & Materials
9. Review & Approval of Contractor’s Work program.
10. Review and Approval of Contractor’s Construction Methodology and Equipment Planning
11. Contract Management
12. Certify Contractor’s Monthly Statements and preparation of Format for Monthly Payment Certificate.
13. Quality Control for Materials & Works
14. Overall supervision of installation and erection of electrochemical equipment (such as turbines, generators, transformers)
15. Supervision of Installation of Electrical/Mechanical Equipment.

C.   Procurement/Contract Management

1. Effective monitoring and control of the construction contracts and equipment contracts.
2. Evaluation of bid proposals submitted by potential bidders.
3. Preparation of bid evaluation reports including the listing of matters to be discussed and negotiated with the bidders before the award of contract.
4. Participate in negotiation meeting with the bidders to sort out the matters to be negotiated.

D.   Project Management

1. Project scheduling and management
2. Plan, schedule, estimate and cost the project activities
3. Management, administration, procurement, engineering quality assurance in accordance with recognized standards and organization.
4. Effective monitoring and control of the construction contracts and equipment contracts.
5. Effective communication between the consultant and the client and the contractors, particularly between the design teams and construction supervision teams.

E.   Environmental Safeguards

1. Ensure the environmental requirements with respect to the construction and installation activities in accordance with the construction contract documents.
2. Ensure all work related to environmental matters is covered in the construction contract documents.
3. Monitor health and safety
4. Monitor labor relations

F.   Social Safeguards

1. Attention to re-cultivation and reinstatement of areas temporarily occupied during construction, or spoil dumps, quarries, storage areas.

G.   Post-Construction Services

i.     Check the completed work and notify the contractor and the client of an defect in the construction work or the plant which requires rectification, before the Defects Liability Periods.

ii.     Prepare Final Performance Certificates based on the Final Statement of the contractors.

1.  Commissioning Works

• Prepare the overall commissioning program for the plant and supervise the commissioning of all the structures and plant.
• Review the detailed commissioning procedures prepared by the contractors to check that all the contractual requirements are complied with.
• Carry out check evaluations of observed data during the course of commissioning, advise the contractors as necessary.
• Review and approve commissioning reports to be prepared by the contractor.

     2.  Operation And Maintenance Manuals

• Prepare an overall Operation and Maintenance manual (O & M) for the plant based on internationally recognized principles for operation and maintenance and detailed manuals of specific equipment provided by the various manufacturers.