The Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) has awarded the prestigious Brunel Medal to Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority.
The Brunel Medal is awarded to recognise excellence in civil engineering. All teams, persons or organisations operating within the built environment were eligible.
The run-of-the-river Mangdechhu hydroelectric project has a capacity of 720MW and is located on on Mangdechhu river in Bhutan. It is one of the ten hydroelectric projects being developed as part of the Royal Government of Bhutan’s initiative to generate new hydropower with support from the Indian Government. The two governments signed an agreement for the construction of Mangdechhu HEPP for Rs28.96bn ($434m) in April 2010.
The project provided employment opportunities to the community, particularly the Project Affected Families, and facilitated local communities to take up business activities. The Project also supported various schools and health facilities through upgradation of the existing infrastructures. A number of drinking water facilities/irrigation channels for providing water for irrigation were developed by the Project.
