Timely completion of Tarbela extension project urged

WAPDA chief stresses importance, wants pace of work to be accelerated.

LAHORE: Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Zafar Mahmood has directed project authorities to ensure on-schedule completion of the under-construction 1,410 megawatt-Tarbela fourth Extension Hydropower Project. 

Speaking on the occasion, he stressed the importance of the project and said that its completion will not only help mitigate power shortage but also reduce electricity tariff and provide relief to consumers through induction of low-cost hydel electricity in the national grid.



He asked the project authorities to accelerate the pace of construction work on the project. However, the acceleration should not compromise the prescribed quality standards, he said.

Tarbela Dam project’s general manager and project consultants briefed the chairman about the overall progress on the project. It was told that the project has been scheduled to be completed by 2017. “The World Bank is providing $840 million for the project,” they informed.

He was also told that with the completion of the project, the generation capacity of Tarbela hydel power station will increase from the existing 3,478MW to 4,888MW after the installation of three units of 1,410MW on Tunnel 4.

The extension hydropower project will add about 3.8 billion units of low-cost electricity to the national grid. The annual benefits of the project have been estimated at more than Rs30 billion and it will pay back its entire cost in three years.



During his visit, the chairman witnessed intake works on Tunnel 3 and 4 of Tarbela Dam, and took a round of powerhouse site of the hydropower project.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 14^th,  2015.

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