ISLAMABAD: Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project has started supplying electricity to the national grid on trial basis.
The first unit started contributing 60 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the system on Monday and would generate electricity to its full capacity of 242 MW in the next two days.
Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, located in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), was scheduled to be inaugurated on April 13. The project comprises of four units with a collective capacity to generate 969 MW of electricity.
The first unit had started electricity generation and was followed by the activation of the second, third and fourth units every other month.
The Neelum-Jhelum project is an engineering marvel as 90 per cent of the project lies underground in the high mountainous areas. The project consists of three main components, including a dam, water-way system (comprising 52 kilometres long tunnels) and an underground powerhouse.
The project would provide low-cost hydel electricity to the national grid every year. Annual benefits of the project have been estimated at Rs 55 billion.
For optimal utilisation of water and hydropower resources in the country, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) had been implementing a two-pronged strategy for the purpose.
Under the strategy, not only were the under-construction projects being completed in the shortest possible time but new projects were also being initiated in both water and hydropower sectors.
WAPDA had been trying its best to award contracts for Mohmand Dam and Diamer-Basha Dam within a year to significantly enhance Pakistan’s existing water storage and hydropower generation capacities.
Thanks, at length Neelum Jehlum hydro power project commenced operation, although much delayed than the original schedule and capital cost of the project too many times more than the original estimates, that all will add to the borrowed capital to be returned along with interest, will not leave per unit cost that much inexpensive that ought to be in hydro power project like that of Mangla or Turbela. m. aslam ch
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