Nandipur power plant restarted on test basis
For the initial testing phase, at least two turbines have been started
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Ministry of Water and Power on Thursday has said that Nandipur power plant has been started on test basis.
The ministry said that the plant would be made completely functional within a month. The ministry lauded Chinese and Wapda engineers for their invaluable efforts to make the plant functional again.
Sources said that for the initial testing phase, at least two turbines have been started. At least 230 Mega Watt (MW) electricity is being produced by the two turbines.
Federal Secretary Water and Power Muhammad Younas Dagha, in an interview to Radio Pakistan said that the government is auditing the project with help of three reputed firms and stern action would be taken against the persons responsible for controversy.
READ MORE: Third-party audit of Nandipur power project underway
He endorsed the government’s vision of “end to loadshedding by 2017.” Dagha said that a significant decline in power outages is visible as compared to 2013. He credited the incumbent government for the act.
Earlier in the ongoing week, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry said that the investigations into the Nandipur probe has completed. He said that the phase completed covered its stages from approval to inauguration. The second phase of the probe, he said would include reasons for increase in cost and payments.
READ More: First phase of Nandipur scam probe almost complete: NAB
The NAB Chairman was asked to name the persons found guilty in the first phase of the probe. However, he declined to share any details saying that NAB could not dwell on such questions until the investigations were completed.
The project that has seen crests and troughs before it could justify its cost of production has recently witnessed another change. The government on October 19 appointed a new director of the project. The attempt was made in hope to revive the project and shed all negativity attached with it as a fresh team was appointed.
READ MORE: Nandipur power project s director Shahid Suhail removed
The team is hoped by the government to make the plant functional in the shortest time possible.
The ministry was believed to be putting names together to work for the cause. Engineers and contract-based employees hired for Nandipur plant are retired workers of Kot Addu Power Company. The decision was taken because Nandipur and Kot Addu power plants are identical in terms of machinery and other operations.
Separately, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA), Khursheed Shah termed the project a ‘comic story’ earlier this week. He criticised the government for alleged massive corruption that led to humungous controversies of the plant.
He alleged the government of appointing an “unqualified” managing director (MD) of the project on basis of personal relations and interests.
READ ALSO: PML-N ready for Nandipur power plant probe: Khawaja Asif
