WAPDA to add 2,485MW of cheap electricity by mid-2018

Projects get back on track following removal of impediments.

LAHORE: Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has announced that it will be able to add 2,485 megawatts to the national grid with the completion of three hydroelectric power projects from the end of 2017 to the middle of 2018, which will substantially reduce load-shedding across the country.

“With an effective monitoring mechanism, Wapda projects are back on track and hurdles in the way of implementing under-construction projects have been removed,” said Wapda in a statement issued on Friday. “These (projects) are now heading towards completion at a good pace.”



The projects include 969MW Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric power project, 1,410MW Tarbela 4th extension project and 106MW Golen Gol hydroelectric power project. They will cumulatively contribute 9.432 billion units of low-cost and environment-friendly electricity every year.

Wapda pointed out that earlier its projects were marred with delays and missed completion timelines. In the second half of 2016, the authority reset its priorities in order to complete under-construction schemes in the shortest possible time and initiate work quickly on ready-for-construction projects.



According to the statement, first unit of Tarbela 4th extension will be completed by the end of this year, whereas two remaining units will be ready during high water flow season in 2018.

Likewise, first unit of the Neelum-Jhelum project will start electricity generation by the end of February 2018, second unit will come online in mid-March and the third and fourth units will be completed in April.

Similarly, first unit of the Golen Gol project will be inaugurated in December this year, while the overall completion of work is scheduled for August 2018.

Wapda said the Kachhi Canal project was being completed in a phased manner. Phase-I will irrigate 72,000 acres of land in far-flung and backward areas of Dera Bugti district in Balochistan.

Of these, 55,000 acres will be irrigated by the end of August this year and another 17,000 acres by the end of December.



Wapda pointed out that land acquisition issue for the Dasu hydroelectric power project, which had been pending for the past two years, had been resolved with the signing of an agreement with an 80-member team of notables of Kohistan district in December 2016.

Two contracts worth about Rs180 billion have also been awarded for main civil works on the project.

In the wake of approval of the financing plan by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2016, Wapda is making concerted efforts to award contract for main works of the Diamer-Bhasha dam by the end of 2017.

Mohmand Dam project is also being actively pursued to start construction work as early as possible.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2017.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.