Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project to be completed in 2017: Wapda Chairman
78 per cent work on the NJHP project is completed
Dunya News Report (Jibran Dost)
LAHORE: Spokesman for Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) on Thursday stated that the left tunnel 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.
In addition, the chairman while speaking on the occasion valued the commitment of the project authorities and the contractor. While talking to the media, Zafar Mahmood stated that as of today, 78 per cent work on the NJHP project was completed.
Member from the Finance department of the NJHP project while talking to the media expressed that Rs. 250 billion have so far been spent on the project.
Earlier this week, 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.
The World Bank has offered financial assistance to the total cost of the project which is $ 929 million.
On the other hand, the layout and design plan for the 5th extension power project had already been completed at a cost of $ 2.9 million. “It will complete in a 39-month period once work starts on it. The project would be commissioned in March 2020,” he added.
“By the end of December 2017, the remaining three units having capacity to generate 242 MW each would start supplying electricity to national grid,” Abid Sher Ali added.
Pakistan needs around 15,000 to 20,000 MW electricity per day, however, currently it is able to produce only 11,500 MW per day hence there is a shortfall of about 4000 to 9000 MW per day.
For years, the matter of balancing Pakistan’s supply against the demand for electricity has remained a largely unresolved matter. The country faces big challenges in altering its networks that are responsible for the supply of electricity. Electricity generation in Pakistan has shrunk by up to 50% in the recent years, primarily because Pakistan’s energy infrastructure is not well developed; rather, it is considered to be under- developed and poorly managed.
