ISLAMABAD: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Zafar Mahmood Thursday visited the 1410 MW-Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project to review progress of construction work on the project.
During the visit, the chairman had a round of various sites of the project including power house, intake and switchyard etc. to witness construction activities going on there, said a press release.
Reviewing the construction work, the chairman said that Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project is of vital importance to help overcome electricity shortages in the country in line with the Federal Government’s resolve. Therefore, timely completion of the project is a must, he added.
Zafar Mahmood directed the project authorities to closely monitor the progress on the accelerated programme, and make sure that the contractors adhere to the time lines in letter and spirit, so that the project could be completed by June 2017 ahead of its original schedule in line with directions of the Prime Minister.
He further said that completion of the project as per accelerated programme will enable Wapda to make use of high water flow season of 2017 for electricity generation from the project. He also directed the project authorities to ensure that the stipulated standards are met during construction of the project.
Earlier, Tarbela Dam Project General Manager briefed the Chairman about progress on the project. He said that overall progress on the project is 53 percent; while on the powerhouse is 55 percent, on the generating Unit No. 17 is 70 percent; on Unit No. 16 is 44 percent and on Unit No. 15 is 37 percent.
He said that every effort is being made to complete the project as per accelerated construction programme. It will help WAPDA to generate additional electricity during the high water flow season of 2017 amounting to $300 million. It is pertinent to mention that Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project is being constructed on tunnel No. 4 of Tarbela Dam.
The project will increase generation capacity of Tarbela Hydel Power Station from 3478 MW to 4888 MW, after installation of three units – with installed capacity of 470 MW each -on Tunnel No. 4 of Tarbela Dam.
The World Bank is providing US $840 million for construction of the project. On completion, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project will add about 3.84 billion units of low-cost electricity to the National Grid per annum. Annual benefits of the project have been estimated at about Rs.30.7 billion.
The project will pay back its cost in just three years. Tarbela Dam Project General Manager Iqbal Masood Siddiqui, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project Director Sohail Khan and representatives of the consultants and the contractors were also present on the occasion.
