Wapda to add 2,485MW hydropower by next year

LAHORE: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) on Friday said it will add around 2,485 megawatts by the next year after the completion of three hydropower projects in order to ease the power crisis. 

The projects are expected to complete between this yearend and the mid of 2018. The projects include 969MW-Neelum Jhelum hydropower plants, 1,410MW-Tarbela 4th extension and 106MW-Golen Gol hydropower plants. 

After completion, these projects will cumulatively contribute 9.432 billion units of low-cost and environment-friendly hydropower to the system every year, said the authority in a statement.  Wapda projects were marred with delays due to certain reasons and missed timelines of their completion. 

After assuming the charge of the office in August 2016, the incumbent Wapda Chairman Lt Gen (retired) Muzammil Hussain re-strategised the authority’s priorities to complete the under-construction projects in the shortest possible time, and initiate construction work as early as possible on ready-for-construction projects. 

Because of the active persuasion of the Wapda’s chairman and an effective monitoring mechanism, the projects are now back on track. The hurdles to the progress have been removed and the projects are now heading towards completion at a good pace. 

First unit of Tarbela 4th extension will be completed by end of this year, while two remaining units will be ready during the high water flow season in 2018.  Likewise, first unit of Neelum Jhelum hydropower project will start electricity generation by February next year, second unit in mid March and the third and fourth units will be completed in April 2018.

Similarly, first unit of Golen Gol hydropower project will be inaugurated in December this year, while overall completion of the project is scheduled in August 2018.  Kachhi canal project is being completed in phased manner. The phase-I will irrigate 72,000 acres of land in the far-flung and backward areas of Dera Bugti district in Balochsitan after its completion: 55,000 acres by August-end and another 17,000 acres by December-end. 

The issue of land acquisition for Dasu hydropower project, which had been lingering for the last two years, has finally been resolved with the signing of an agreement with 80-member Jirga of the local notables of Kohistan district in December 2016 for smooth and speedy land acquisition. 

Two contracts worth around Rs180 billion have also been awarded for the main civil works of the Dasu project. For the 128 MW-Keyal Khwar hydropower project, the contractor has been mobilised to the site for the start of construction work. Construction on Kurram Tangi dam (stage-I) also began in March. 

Wapda is also making efforts to award the contract for main works of Diamer-Basha dam by end 2017 after an approval of the project’s financial plan by the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2016. Mohmand dam project is also being actively pursued to start construction work as early as possible, said the authority.