Tarbela extension project to provide cheap electricity
WAPDA asked to speed up work on 1,350MW hydropower project.
ISLAMABAD:
Federal Water and Power Minister Syed Naveed Qamar has directed Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to speed up work on the 1,350-megawatt Tarbela 4th Extension hydropower project and complete it ahead of time.
Presiding over a meeting during his first visit to the Tarbela Dam on Friday, the minister said after completion of the extension project, power crisis would ease up and people would get cheap electricity.
He said all units of Tarbela power house should be in operational condition and there should be no prolonged shutdown due to minor fault. “Spare parts should be made available and technical staff should be present round the clock,” he stressed.
“During summer, no risk of long-hour shutdown will be allowed as it increases the power shortfall,” he said.
He said the government was focusing on hydropower generation and a number of small and big projects had been started. “Hydropower is not only an environment-friendly electricity resource but also the cheapest one.”
Earlier, in a briefing to the minister, Wapda general manager said generation capacity of Tarbela power house would rise to 4,828 megawatts after the installation of new units having capacity of 1,350 MW as part of the 4th Extension project.
The project includes installation of three units of 450 MW each at Tarbela Dam on Tunnel 4, being used for irrigation releases.
The project will provide about 3.5 billion units of low-cost electricity to the national grid per annum.
The minister was also briefed on water storage capacity, inflows and outflows and was told that water was being released as per instructions of Indus River System Authority (Irsa).
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2011.
Federal Water and Power Minister Syed Naveed Qamar has directed Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to speed up work on the 1,350-megawatt Tarbela 4th Extension hydropower project and complete it ahead of time.
Presiding over a meeting during his first visit to the Tarbela Dam on Friday, the minister said after completion of the extension project, power crisis would ease up and people would get cheap electricity.
He said all units of Tarbela power house should be in operational condition and there should be no prolonged shutdown due to minor fault. “Spare parts should be made available and technical staff should be present round the clock,” he stressed.
“During summer, no risk of long-hour shutdown will be allowed as it increases the power shortfall,” he said.
He said the government was focusing on hydropower generation and a number of small and big projects had been started. “Hydropower is not only an environment-friendly electricity resource but also the cheapest one.”
Earlier, in a briefing to the minister, Wapda general manager said generation capacity of Tarbela power house would rise to 4,828 megawatts after the installation of new units having capacity of 1,350 MW as part of the 4th Extension project.
The project includes installation of three units of 450 MW each at Tarbela Dam on Tunnel 4, being used for irrigation releases.
The project will provide about 3.5 billion units of low-cost electricity to the national grid per annum.
The minister was also briefed on water storage capacity, inflows and outflows and was told that water was being released as per instructions of Indus River System Authority (Irsa).
Published in The Express Tribune, July 9th, 2011.