A massive flood, believed to be caused by the collapse of a glacial lake, struck the central northern Himalayan region of Nepal on August 26, leaving nine Korean workers, who were constructing a hydropower plant, out of contact. The South Korean government, along with Doosan Enerbility and Korea South-East Power, has dispatched personnel to assist in the search and rescue operations for the missing Koreans and to assess the damage to the hydropower facility.
According to the Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at least 160 people have died and more than 1,700 are reported missing due to the flood. As rescue operations continue, the number of casualties is expected to rise.
The exact extent of the damage to the Korean workers remains unclear. Ten employees from Doosan Enerbility were among approximately 200 foreign workers, including Nepalese, who were evacuated and are awaiting rescue. However, six Doosan Enerbility employees and three from Korea South-East Power have lost contact.
The South Korean government has formed a rapid response team led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which includes personnel from the National Police Agency and the National Fire Agency, sending 11 members to the site. Jeong Yeon-in, Vice Chairman of Doosan Enerbility, and Yoon Jang-hyun, head of the New Growth Division at Korea South-East Power, are also heading to Nepal. The on-site response team consists of 14 members, including eight from Doosan Enerbility and six from Korea South-East Power, who will assess the situation and manage the aftermath of the incident.
Before departing, Vice Chairman Jeong told reporters, "We are currently working closely with the relevant authorities and will do our utmost to rescue the missing employees."
Industry experts express concern that the human toll may impact overseas hydropower projects.
The UT-1 (Upper Trishuli-1) hydropower plant, where the incident occurred, is Nepal's first privately funded power project. Korea South-East Power holds a 50% stake as the largest shareholder, with the Korea Overseas Infrastructure and Urban Development Corporation holding 25%, the International Finance Corporation 15%, and a local Nepalese company 10%. Doosan Enerbility is responsible for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of the hydropower plant, making it a project primarily driven by South Korean companies.
Located about 70 kilometers north of Kathmandu, the UT-1 is a tunnel-type hydropower plant with a capacity of 216 megawatts. Once completed, it was expected to surpass the existing Rasuwagadhi hydropower plant to become Nepal's largest. Construction began in 2021, with a target completion date set for the end of this year, but the recent flood may indefinitely delay the project. Experts predict that access to the site will be challenging due to the flood, and it will take considerable time to assess the actual damage.
Yoon Jang-hyun stated, "The construction progress was at 84%, but it seems that over 90% of the upper weir (low water level) dam has been lost, and the base camp where construction workers were located has also suffered over 90% damage. However, I believe the underground power station has not been buried."
There is also the potential for legal disputes with the Nepalese government. The UT-1 project was originally structured for a five-year construction period, with Korea South-East Power set to operate it from 2027 to 2057, after which it would revert to the Nepalese government. However, if the Nepalese government insists on the 2057 transfer despite delays caused by natural disasters, it could lead to disputes over the project's profitability for Korea South-East Power.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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