LAHORE: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has decided to submit PC-I of 1410-MW Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project worth $795.8 million to the Ministry of Water and Power which will seek its approval from the Planning Commission.
The decision was taken during a meeting, presided over by its Chairman Zafar Mahmood. The meeting was attended by the Member (Water) Muhammad Shoaib Iqbal, Member (Power) Badrul Munir Murtiza, Member (Finance) Anwar-ul-Haq and Secretary Wapda Syed Khalid Akhlaq Gilani.
General Manager (Tarbela Dam Project) Iqbal Masood Siddiqui gave a detailed presentation on the PC-I of the project in the meeting. The Authority had a detailed discussion on the cost estimations quoted in the PC-I with a view to ensure that the cost is accurate and in accordance with the relevant parameters. It was noted that revision of PC-I of the projects results in escalation of the cost, and delays their scheduled-completion.
The Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project is a part of the least-cost hydel power generation plan of the Federal Government, being executed by Wapda on priority. The project is like a low-hanging fruit, benefits of which may be accrued in a very short span of time as the project will be completed before the high-flows season of 2018.
The installed capacity of the existing 3478 MW-Tarbela Hydel Power Station will rise to 4888 MW after completion of the under-construction Tarbela 4th Extension and 6298 MW after completion of the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project.
