POKHARA: A state-of-the-art aviation fuel depot equipped with modern technology has been constructed at Pokhara International Airport.

As per the government’s policy of building fuel storage facilities with a three-month storage capacity, Nepal Oil Corporation has completed the first phase of construction.

The corporation stated that the depot has been built after 55 years using its own investment and expertise. Physical infrastructure, including three tanks with a total capacity of 3,600 kiloliters, has been constructed at a cost of Rs 750 million excluding VAT.

Infrastructure such as a control room, office building, and fire suppression system has been developed in line with modern safety standards. An automatic sprinkler system has also been installed to control fires in case of emergencies.

This is the first time in the corporation’s history that the depot was built using entirely domestic technology, design, and contractors. The detailed project report was prepared by the Institute of Engineering, Pulchowk.

Built on a leased plot of 32,915 square meters on the southern side of the airport, the project site lies within the Pokhara International Airport premises. Although the depot construction process started in 2018, the foundation stone was officially laid only in mid-2023.

The depot was fully designed and constructed with Nepali investment and experts without relying on foreign consultants.

According to the corporation, the new fuel depot will begin operations in the first week of Shrawan after completing final testing and technical certification.

Considering the rising number of domestic and international tourists in Pokhara, the government and Civil Aviation Authority have been working to operate a modern, well-equipped airport.

To ensure a regular supply of aviation fuel to both national and international aircraft taking off and landing at the airport, the corporation has been using 9,215 square meters of land within the airport premises leased from the Civil Aviation Authority.

To handle the anticipated volume of domestic and international flights at Pokhara Regional International Airport, the depot includes three large vertical tanks, each with a capacity of 1,200 kiloliters, totaling 3,600 kiloliters. Each vertical tank stands 12 meters high with a 12-meter diameter.

For enhanced safety, a separate 1,200-kiloliter water tank has been built. This water tank is integrated with the fire suppression system around the depot. Additionally, a 4,000-liter foam storage tank has been installed to address the high fire risk due to flammable materials.

The depot also features two diesel-powered fire pumps with a capacity of 230 horsepower each, a jockey pump of 15 horsepower, and eight-inch pipelines for firefighting purposes.

Currently, the old depot at the former airport supplies aviation fuel via two tankers daily, meeting an average daily demand of 20 to 25 kiloliters.