Career Episode 3: Middle Modi Hydropower Project Construction Report

This report is a Competency Demonstration Report (Career Episode 3) focusing on the Middle Modi Hydropower Project in Nepal. The project involved the construction of a 15.1 MW run-of-river hydropower plant. The author, a Mechanical Site Engineer, details their responsibilities, which included fabricating mechanical components (gates, pipes, rollers), ensuring design accuracy, conducting welding quality tests, and managing project documentation. The report outlines the project background, objectives, and the engineer's technical contributions, including problem-solving related to gate installation and the application of engineering knowledge. The project's significance in addressing Nepal's energy crisis and its innovative aspects are also discussed. The report concludes with a project review, highlighting the engineer's key contributions to the project's success. The report showcases the application of mechanical engineering principles in a real-world hydropower construction project, covering design, fabrication, and site management aspects.

Competency Demonstration Report
Career Episode 3

CE 3.1 Project Information
Name of the project: Middle Modi Hydropower construction
Location of the project: Sindhupalchok, Nepal
Project Duration: July 2014-March 2015
Organization: (Please fill)
Role and Designation during the time: Mechanical Site Engineer
CE 3.2 Project Background
CE 3.2.1 Characteristics of the project
The project is based on a construction of Middle Modi hydropower project, which is
developed by Middle Modi Hydropower Limited (MMHPL) in Nepal. This particular project is
based on simple Run-of –River scheme which is utilizing flow into Modi Khola. It is considered
as major tributaries of the Kaligandaki River of the Gandaki Basin. The proposed project has
installed capacity of 15.1 MW, design discharge of 25 cumecs (Cum/sec) as well as net head of
approximately 70 m. Diversion weir across the Modi Khola will be used to divert water which is
required for generation of power into side intake. An excess amount of water into the river will
flow over an ungated weir. For silt flushing function, there is total of two numbers of gate
controlled sluices are being provided into the weir.

CE 3.2.2 Objectives developed for the project
Following are objectives of this project work:
 To construct of Middle Modi hydropower project in Nepal
 To fabricate the mechanical components at the site
 To approve the final design
CE 3.2.3 My area of work
My technical area of work is to solve the technical issues which rose on the job site,
fabrication of the mechanical components such as a frame, pipe, rollers, and gates and based on
approved designs. I had designed rolling of plates with higher accuracy. I had conducted welding
quality test with use of DPT, ultrasound, X-ray methods. I had also conducted repair work of the
mechanical components include of mechanical and pipeline. I had contributed to review the
design of the system.
CE 3.2.4 Project Group
SeniorMechanicalEngineerProjectSupervisorMechanicalSiteEngineer

Figure 1: People involved in the project
CE 3.2.5 My responsibilities throughout the project
My role in this project is as a mechanical site engineer. I had performed the fabrication of
the mechanical components at the site when my design drawing is being approved. I had
involved in the fabrication of the mechanical component based on approving drawings for Gates,
Penstock pipes, Reducers, Flushing canal parts; Gates hoists, Gates superstructure, Dogging
Device, Gates Rollers, Gate Frames and others. I had followed all the rules and regulations of the
project work. Based on the approved design of hydroelectric power plant, I had rolled the plates
as higher accuracy. I had also welded welding joints into all the mechanical components. I had
erected gates compensates such as frame and superstructure as higher accuracy. As a mechanical
engineer, I had provided better support as erection time. I had also managed the project
documentation so that I can able to meet the client’s requirements. Finally, I had managed time
and resources schedule for fabrication, transportation in addition to erection.
CE 3.3 Distinctive Activity
CE 3.3.1 Comprehending the Theory of the project
From many years, Nepal is facing an energy crisis. The cost of energy for running
industries and business had soared due to unavailability of energy. The purpose of this project
work is to construct of hydropower plant which provides of green energy. The plants are not
required to release of greenhouse gases and it provides of energy which are not caused pollution
to the environment. When the power voltage is adjusted, there is some sort of fluctuations. It is
adjusted to fit required voltage by control over the water flow. Construction of the hydropower
plant in Nepal allows the country to produce of own energy without being dependent on the

international sources of fuel. The power plant will play a role in the reduction of time of load
shedding into Nepal. The importance of this hydro construction project is lower running cost.
Maintenance cost is considered as running cost of this project work. It is pollution free project
which is suitable for all climates, and the outer look is also good.
CE 3.3.2 Engineering Knowledge and Skills applied in the project
I have the knowledge to fabricate of gates parts such as Leaf, frame, roller, seals, and
holes as higher accuracy. I have the knowledge to do welding for welding joints into all the
mechanical components. I can able to manage the project time and project resources for
performing of fabrication and transportation further with an erection. I had provided better
support as erection time. I know to carry out a survey, feasibility study and review of the design.
I had then modernization as well as reconstruction of the facilities into power engineering.
CE 3.3.3 Accomplishment and task performed
Diversion weir across the Modi Khola will divert the water that is needed to generate
power into side intake. The water that is drawn from the intake will pass through open desanding
basins, where there are bigger sand particles. It will settle and settled particles are flushed back
into river throughout flushing ducts. The water that comes out of desanding basins will convey
throughout open duct leading to the underground tunnel. It then discharges the water into
forebay. I had then observed that water from forebay is conveyed to the powerhouse throughout
a surface penstock. It will bifurcate into two pipes near the powerhouse in order to feed into two
vertical axes Francis Turbines. The water from the units is discharged back into the river
throughout tail race duct.

The hydroelectric power plant project is rated head of 70 m with the installed capacity of
15.1MW and design discharge of 25m3/S. In order to construct the hydropower, the length of the
tunnel is 2630m with vertical shaft configuration. I had taken a turbine generator set of 2. The
first turbine generator is Francis with an output of 7.6 MW, rated speed is 428.6rpm, and its rate
of flow is 25m3/S. On the other hand, I had determined that second turbine generator is
Synchronous,3-phase with a rated output of 8260KVA, rated voltage is 6.6KV, rated frequency
of 50HZ, rated power factor of 0.90 and rated current of 723A. I had also taken a power
transformer with a capacity of 7.8/8.3MVA, level of voltage is 6.6/132KV, and the total phase of
a power transformer is 3.
CE 3.3.4 Identified issues and their solutions
CE 3.3.4.1 Issues
We had faced issues in a head race few gate was not straight as we had fixed it before. It
is tilted by approximately 2/3 degree angle throughout the civil's concert work so measured gate
cannot be installed.
CE 3.3.4.2 Solution
The solution is that we had ground some gate roller and installed it. We had also required
re-constructing it again.
CE 3.3.5 Plan to produce creative and innovative work
Into the hydropower plant, gravitational forces of fluid water are used to run a turbine
that is joined using the electric generator in order to make of electricity. The construction project
is a creative work as it plays a key significant role in order to protect of fossil fuels that are
limited. This project work is innovative as a generation of electricity from the power station is

used of water that is known as renewable sources of energy. We had analyzed that the biggest
advantage of the hydropower is water that is considered as main stuff in order to produce of
electricity into the hydropower plant. It is not consisting of any pollution and therefore after
generation of electricity, the cost of the electricity is average not to be much higher. In order to
construct the plant, such an area is chosen where there is sufficient amount of water.
CE 3.3.6 Collaborative work
I had prepared the project plan and progress report based on the client’s requirements. I
had performed documentation and paper works with the clients and sub-contractors. I had also
scheduled the work, time management, and cost in addition to resource allocation. I had ensured
adequacy of resources to perform a good workflow. Finally, I had reported and recorded the
milestones for the job site. After the final design is being approved by the consultant senior
mechanical engineer, then I would proceed with the mechanical work at the site.
CE 3.4 Project review
CE 3.4.1 Project overview
In this specific project work, power is produced by methods for hydro control plant. I had
included into the advancement of a hydroelectric power plant for Middle Modi. Abundance
measure of water into the waterway will stream over an ungated weir. For sediment flushing
capacity, there is an aggregate of two quantities of entryway controlled conduits are being given
into the weir. With the use of tail race duct, water from the units are to be discharged back into
the river.

CE 3.4.2 My contribution to work
I had rolled the plates as higher precision. I had additionally welded welding joints into
all the mechanical parts. I had raised doors repays, for example, edge and superstructure as
higher precision. As a mechanical engineer, I had given better help as erection time. I had
additionally dealt with the undertaking documentation, so I can ready to meet necessities of the
customer.