‘Tarbela 4th extension to be completed by June 2017’

Secretary Water and Power says dam will be completed earlier than planned

TARBELA: The Tarbela 4th Extension Power Project worth $920 million will be completed by June 2017, adding 1,410 megawatts hydel electricity to the national grid.

Briefing journalists at the project site, Secretary Water and Power Muhammad Younas Daga said that the project was scheduled to be completed in 2018, but on the directives of the Prime Minister, work has been expedited and it will be fully functional by June 2017.



Daga said the World Bank was providing $840 million for the project. “Three units of 370MW each would be installed at the power house which would enhance the total electricity generation to 4,888 MW from the existing 3,478 MW.”

Referring to last year’s performance, the secretary said that work on a number of power projects has started and there would be no load-shedding by 2018.

He said that since November 2014, zero hour power load-shedding was being observed for the industrial sector. “Six to eight hours power load-management was being carried out in urban and rural areas respectively,” he said.  However, he said that more load management was being carried out in areas of high losses.



Daga said that losses of power distribution companies were reduced to 18% while recoveries stood at 92.3% against the corresponding period of the previous year which was 88.6%.

He said 100% payment was being made to independent power producers and the circular debt was capped at Rs310 billion. Efforts were being made to further reduce the circular debt, he added.

To a question, Daga said that an amount of Rs101 billion was allocated for land acquisition of Diamer Bhasha dam and 50% land had already been acquired so far.



“China has also shown interest in providing assistance to this mega project,” he added.

Regarding power projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the secretary said that power projects having 1,100 MW capacity would be ready in 2016, 1,650MW in 2017, 3,270 MW in 2018 and 2,250MW beyond 2018.

Regarding recent allegations of unmerited recruitments in power distribution companies (DISCOs), including Islamabad Electric Supply Company, the secretary said the IESCO’s chief executive officer has been sacked and the board of directors has been ordered to declare null and void all recruitments made in violation of merit policies.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2015.

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