Mangla dam: Govt to add 120MW to national grid

ISLAMABAD: The government is set to add another 120 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the national grid as the Mangla Dam Raising project is nearing completion. After de-siltation of Mangla Dam by 30 feet, water conservation level will be raised to 1,202 feet resulting in enhanced water storage capacity of the dam by 2.9 million acre feet, according to an official of the ministry. After enhanced capacity, the facility will generate additional energy of about 120MW per annum which is a 12% increase of the current energy production capacity of the 1,000MW dam. He said that the main dam, spillway and its allied works were completed in December 2009 while resettlement works were in progress and physical progress is almost 96.5%. To a question, he said there is no plan as of yet to raise Tarbela Dam; however, sediment management study was under progress. He added that Tarbela 4th extension project is under implementation for generation of 1,410MW through credit from the World Bank.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2012.