The Rs 4,500-crore hydroelectric plant, touted as a Bhutan-India friendship project, is a 720MW run-of-river power plant built on the Mangdechhu River in Trongsa Dzongkhag District of Central Bhutan. The project comprises of a 101.5 m high concrete gravity dam from the deepest foundation level, two intake tunnels of 196 m and 150 m length, and a 13.54 km long headrace tunnel capable of discharging 118m3 of water per second. The 152 m high surge shaft has a diameter of 13.5 m. The civil works of the project had be executed under competitive biddings from the Contractors of India and Bhutan splitting the project works in to 3 contract packages.

• Total project costs: ± 450 million USD

Client

Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project Authority, autonomous body having representatives from Government of India and Government of Bhutan

Challenges

As the site is largely supplied logistically from India, the link up with Indian transport infrastructure also has an important role to play. Sea or air freight is usually handled via the port facilities of Calcutta all of 1,000 km away. Freight transports in India itself normally takes place by road. Transportation times of several weeks are customary on account of the poor efficiency and reliability of the Indian and Bhutanese transport system. As result of adverse logistical conditions, regarding to the contract amount, the Contractor had to take a loss of 15 millions USD which must be forwarded as a claim to the Client which Michael Becker prepared and negotiated with success for the Contractor.

My role/position in the project

Senior Contract Manager, responsible for:

• Site investigation and documentation of supplementary claim
• Preparation of supplementary claim and negotiating with the Client

Time duration project work

2013-2014

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