AmarnepalBudget Analysis
ProposedProposed / under development

Mugu Karnali Storage Hydroelectric Projectमुगु कर्णाली भण्डारण आयोजना

A proposed 1,902 MW storage (reservoir) project on the Mugu Karnali in the remote far north-west — by capacity the largest single project in Nepal's pipeline. The Ministry of Energy awarded the survey licence to VUCL (an NEA subsidiary) in 2018; the project area spans Mugu, Humla, Bajura and Kalikot.

Installed capacity

1,902 MW

Storage

River / basin

Mugu Karnali

Karnali basin

Location

Mugu

Karnali

Expected online

TBD

Proposed / under development

Project timeline

Milestones & projected timeline

Key dates so far, with planned milestones marked. Future dates are targets from the developer or government and frequently shift.

  1. 6 Jul 2018

    Survey licence awarded to VUCL

  2. 2025

    Chowdhury Group emerges as competing developer for the reservoir scheme

On the map

Location

Approximate dam-area location on OpenStreetMap — precise to the district and river reach, not the exact structure.

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Filter by stageTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

Sources & data note

Figures for Mugu Karnali Storage Hydroelectric Project are compiled from the sources below and cross-checked where possible. Status and projected dates reflect research as of mid-2026 and may change as the project progresses. The map location is an approximate dam-area estimate. Commentary is Amarnepal's own.