Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar on Friday directed the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to expedite work on the 1,350MW Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project (T4HP) to enhance the reservoir’s generation capacity to 4,828MW.
The minister gave these directions while presiding over a meeting during a visit to Tarbela Dam. The government is working on $700 million World Bank-financed project to convert the tunnel four for generation purposes. The tunnel was previously used for irrigation only. The project was conceived considering the country’s rising demand for power at eight percent per annum.
Currently, there is an estimated shortfall of 7,500MW in winter and 3,500MW in summer.
The project includes installation of three units, 450MW each, on the tunnel four that would provide about 3.5 billion units of low cost electricity to the national grid per annum.Upon completion, it would add 1,350MW to the grid.
The construction of a new hydropower plant at Tarbela was considered most attractive as the dam, storage reservoir and tunnel were already in place and water supply assured.
Another important advantage in the development of the project is that it would free resettlement and litigation problems, which are often a major cause of delay in hydro-electric projects.
The minister said the power crisis would reduce after the completion of the extension project.
He said the generation units of the power house should be in operational condition and there should not be any long shut down due to minor faults.
Qamar directed the authorities concerned there should be ready stock of spare parts and technical staff present round the clock.
The minister was also briefed on the present storage capacity and water inflows and outflows.
He also was informed that indents were being released per the instructions of IRSA.
