Dry testing underway at Neelum-Jhelum power project

LAHORE: The 969 megawatt Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project is heading fast towards completion as dry testing of electro-mechanical equipments and switch yard is in progress, an official said on Friday. 

“It is satisfying to note that all critical activities at the project are being completed according to the timelines,” said Muzammil Hussain, chairman Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), during his visit to the project near Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir.  

“The display of such extraordinary commitment and professional excellence by the project management, the contractors, and the consultants is highly commendable.”  Hussain said that the WAPDA was looking towards the power generation from the fist unit of the project in February 2018. 

Muhammad Zareen, chief executive officer of the project, briefed the chairman that the project was 95.4 percent complete, the dam (weir) has been built substantially, while the reservoir impounding would commence in first week of the coming month. 

“The system for diverting water from the reservoir to the power house will be completed by end December 2017, whereas wet commissioning of the generating unit will start in February 2018,” Zareen said. It may be noted that the hydropower project is being constructed on river Neelum in AJ&K. The project is an engineering marvel with 90 percent of it being underground in the high mountain areas. 

The project consists of four units with a n installed capacity of 242.25 MW each. The first unit of the project is scheduled to go into operation by end February 2018 followed by the second unit in mid-March and third and fourth units in April 2018.

On its completion, the project will contribute about five billion units of electricity to the national grid annually. Annual revenue of the project is estimated to be Rs 50 billion.