No supply: Khan Khwar Hydel project lies useless

Technical fault has developed in 72-megawatt plant

SWAT: The 72-megawatt Khan Khwar Hydel Power Project has caused losses worth millions of rupees and stopped production after closing in July due to a technical fault. A four-megawatt unit of the 72-megawatt plant stopped production due to a technical fault.

When contacted, Khan Khwar Project Chief Engineer Saifullah’s private secretary Ghaniur Rehman said the issue took place mainly due to a major overhaul and work is under way to restore the supply. He denied allegations that the machinery’s condition was deteriorating and added that equipment is in normal condition.

Also, prime minister’s adviser Ameer Muqam said the project had been dysfunctional for the last three months and efforts were under way to restore it.

The project was completed in April 2010 and profiting through its production. It was inaugurated by the then prime minister, Raja Pervez Ashraf, and the dam was completed with the efforts of a Chinese company, Sinohydro.

Water was diverted to the powerhouse near Besham through a pressure tunnel some 4.5 kilometres away from Raniyal.

However, supply was suspended due to a technical problem.

A Wapda official held Sinohydro responsible for the fault. He claimed the company showed negligence and it would take three months to restore the project and cost over Rs10 billion to fix the machinery.

He claimed the four-megawatt unit had been functional for some time and the Chinese company refused to fix it as the project was handed over to Wapda after the inauguration.

Sources also told The Express Tribune that the authorities were accused of embezzling billions of rupees during the period of its construction.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2016.