FPCCI lauds govt on completion of Neelum-Jhelum project

Islamabad: Completion of Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project is an achievement of the government which will help bridge power shortfall and help generate handsome revenue, a business leader said Thursday.

The much-delayed project has almost been completed costing over Rs404 billion which will generate 969 megawatts of electricity. The reservoir of the dam with a capacity of 8200 million acre-feet is being filled which will take a month, said Atif Ikram Sheikh former president ICCI.

He said that the project will add five billion units of electricity in the national grid per annum while it will generate Rs50 billion in revenue while it will also cater for domestic and agricultural needs of the area.

Atif Ikram Sheikh said that the cost of electricity from the project has been estimated at Rs7 per unit which is very low as compare to the other modes of power generation. He said that test production of the electricity has been initiated while the commercial production will begin within three months.

A substantial amount is being used to provide water to the local population for consumption and agriculture while damage to the environment has been minimized, he added. He said that apart from the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, two more projects Golan Gol and Tarbela 4th Extension hydropower projects would be completed within few months.

The business leader said that another seven projects with water storage capacity of more than 10 million acre-feet and power generation capacity of more than 16,000 megawatts are ready for construction including Diamer Basha Dam, Mohmand Dam, Dasu Stage II, Tarbela 5th Extension and Bunji power project.