Gulpur hydropower starts producing electricity

LAHORE: Gulpur Hydropower Project has achieved certified commercial operation and started producing cheap electricity for the national grid.

Managing Director, Nespak, Dr Tahir Masood Wednesday said Nespak in a joint venture with M/S MWH Inc USA has provided consultancy services as Owner’s Engineer to M/s Mira Power Limited, a subsidiary of KOSEP, South Korea, for the 102 MW Gulpur Hydropower Project.

Nespak played a very vital role as part of Owner’s Engineer for successful completion of Gulpur Hydropower Project providing complete technical support to Mira Power Limited in getting approvals from different government agencies as well as supporting the EPC Contractor in resolving complex issues appeared during construction. Successful completion of this project has added another feather to Nespak’s cap. Nespak was also involved as Owner’s Engineer in development and completion of 84MW New Bong Escape Hydropower Project, which is the first hydro IPP of Pakistan, thus becoming a leading consultancy firm in development of private hydropower project in Pakistan.

Gulpur Hydropower Plant is a run-of-the-river hydroelectric generation project located on Poonch River, a major tributary of Jhelum River near Gulpur in Kotli District of Azad Kashmir. The project financing has been provided by Korea Exim Bank, Asian Development Bank (ADB), International Finance Corporation (IFC), The Islamic Development Bank and ECO Bank. The project is developed under the government’s Policy for Power Generation Projects 2002 as adopted in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The project has the capability of generating an average annual energy of 102 MW. The project has been developed in shortest possible time and has become a benchmark in hydro sector of Pakistan and will play an important role in Pakistan’s National Vision. The project was completed at a total cost of Rs52 billion.