Neelum–Jhelum plant hits maximum capacity

Project generates 969MW after it started producing power earlier this month

LAHORE:

 

The Neelum–Jhelum Hydropower Plant has produced 969 megawatts of electricity at its full capacity, it emerged on Friday.

The project resumed power generation earlier this month following its tail race tunnel’s inspection, according to a news statement.

It added that after the inspection, electricity was being continuously generated from the power plant according to the availability of water.

The electricity generated by the Neelum–Jhelum power plant is supplied to the national grid at different times of the day, especially at Sehri and Iftar.

The operations of the Neelum–Jhelum power project were suspended since January 10 for the examination of its tail race tunnel.

A low-flow season was chosen for the inspection of the tunnel.

A comprehensive examination of the tunnel was successfully completed during the closure.

A panel of international experts also inspected the tunnel,

The project was constructed in 2018 on Neelum River in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
According to the statement, it is a unique hydroelectric project -- 90% of which is underground.
It provides an average of 4.06 billion units of electricity to the national grid every year.

The Neelum–Jhelum Hydropower Plant has generated 19.05 billion units of electricity since it became operational.

In January this year, an official had confirmed that the power plant would be shut down for the inspection of its 3.5-km tail race tunnel to detect any defect for further correction.

In August 2023, the project had started generating electricity again after a gap of one year following the completion of the restoration work in its tail race tunnel.

A fault had developed in the Neelum-Jhelum plant on July 4, 2022, leaving the power plant dysfunctional.

Back then, the plant was running at its full capacity when an abnormal increase in water leakage was observed in the powerhouse that was controlled through continuous drainage pumps.

The next day, an emergency meeting was held between the project management and its consultants to analyse the situation and determine the root cause of the excessive water leakage.

It was observed that tail race tunnel had obtained an abnormal pressure of 616 metres instead of the normal 600 metres.

Accordingly, to ascertain the behaviour of tail race tunnel, one unit was shut down which resulted in decrease in pressure to 608 metres.

The consultants recommended that the tail race tunnel pressure should be below 604 metres. In this way, load was reduced gradually.

It was determined that the abnormal increase in pressure and water leakages was because of the blockage in the tail race tunnel and considering the safety of the structure and all other equipment, the powerhouse was shut down on July 6.