9090 MW electricity to be added to the national grid by 2017
2015 was a peak year for electricity generation
Dunya News Report (Jibran Dost)
ISLAMABAD: Chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Federal Secretary Water and Power Mohammad Younus Dagha briefed the cabinet committee on energy today (Monday).
During the meeting, the committee was told that 2015 was a peak year for electricity generation of 17,000 Mega Watt (MW). Moreover, an additional 9090 MW of electricity will be added to the national grid by the end of next year.
A total increase of Rs 51 billion was observed in recoveries while as much as Rs 10 billion were saved due to decrease in the line losses.
The secretary expressed that line losses were reduced by 5.8 per cent because of better examining and strategy to eradicate corruption and theft.
Similarly spokesman for Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) on Thursday stated that the left headrace tunnel of the 969 Mega Watt (MW) Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Power (NJHP) project has successfully been connected under River Jhelum, whereas the right headrace tunnel had already been connected under the river in the first week of January 2016.
Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Zafar Mahmood, while addressing the ceremony organised by NJHP authorities in order to celebrate the completion of the left headrace tunnel expressed that WAPDA was certain to say that the first generating unit of the project would be operational by mid 2017 and the rest three units by December 2017.
“Financial constraints of the project are over now. Financing is no more an issue. All arrangements are now in place,” said Chairman WAPDA Zafar Mahmood at the completion ceremony of the two headrace tunnels.
On the other hand, Minister of State for Water and Power Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali has stated that Tarbela 4th and 5th extension power projects will add 2820 Mega Watt (MW) low cost hydel electricity to the national grid system.
Addressing the APP in Islamabad, the minister expressed that both projects in Tarbela would improve the current generation capacity of 3478 MW to 6298 MW. At the same time, 49 per cent work on Tarbela 4th generation extension project has been completed and the project would begin supplying 1410 MW to the national grid system in July 2017.
Furthermore, the 5th extension power project would also add another 1410 MW to the system, the minister added.
With regard to the 4th extension power project, the minister expressed that the project was expected to complete in 2018, but on the direct orders of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the project will be operational by June 2017.
However, earlier in January, Pakistan witnessed hours’ long electricity shutdown when a major transmission line near Muzaffargarh tripped. The federal capital, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and south-western Punjab including Lahore, faced suspension of electricity.
The damaged electric breaker that coupled with intense fog in the morning resulted in the tripping of Muzafarrgarh-Multan 500 KVa transmission line.
The safety and precautionary equipment introduced after last year’s blackouts had saved the system from further defects and was easy to restore.
Power Ministry spokesman Zafaryab Khan claimed that the safety and precautionary measures helped to handle the emergency effectively, due to which the system was restored in a short time.
Electricity was restored to major cities within two to three hours and electricity to all affected power distribution companies by 4:45pm that day.
Since the entire transmission system is integrated, the tripping in Muzafargarh caused shutdown of power stations in Mangla, Tarbella and other power houses that led to the blackout in most parts of the country.
