By: Ahmad Ahmadani
Neelum-Jehlum Hydropower Company Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Lieutenant-General (R) Muhammad Zubair has resigned from his post and submitted resignation to the Prime Minister Office, Pakistan Today learnt on Saturday.
Two weeks prior to the resignation of CEO, Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Zafar Mehmood had also tendered his resignation from the lucrative slot, which would likely cause more delay in the completion of 969 MW Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHP) and other power projects which are in progress. However, the prime minister has been found reiterating his determination to end load shedding in 2018 while speaking at the public meetings held.
Sources in power corridors disclosed to this scribe that CEO Gen (R) Muhammad Zubair submitted his resignation to the PM’s office. Zubair joined the project in September 2010. They said the premier was annoyed over the delay in the start of the first turbine of the hydropower project. The two officials have tendered their resignation only because they remained behind in meeting the timeline set by the premier, they added.
In October last year, NJHP CEO Muhammad Zubair resigned from his post, following an advertisement for the appointment of new chief of NJHP. However, he was asked to continue his services until the appointment of a new chief. An advertisement was placed in daily newspapers on October 4, asking for applications for the post of CEO and CFO on a contract basis for a term of three years for Dasu, Bhasha and Neelum Jhelum projects.
Earlier, the PM set June 2016 as a deadline for the project, but it was not met due to many reasons and the PM then set another timeline.
Official sources on the condition of anonymity told that WAPDA chairman Zafar Mehmood and CEO Zubair have conveyed to the premier that first turbine will be able to start work in June 2017 instead of already given deadline of December 2016. That’s why the PM was angry with the two officials, they said. Moreover, it seems that meeting the second deadline will be difficult also, they added.
The Neelum-Jhelum project envisages diverting Neelum River water through tunnels which fall into Jhelum River after producing power. On completion, the project will be capable of producing 5.15bn units of electricity each year. This mega hydropower project has been undertaken long after completion of Mangla and Tarbela dam projects.
Also, a consortium of 16 banks has arranged Rs 100 billion Sukuk (Islamic bonds) for the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, in what is the country’s biggest ever funds mobilisation for a public sector entity.
According to official documents, the project was first conceived in 1988, with a cost of Rs 34 billion, which later swelled to Rs 320 billion in 2013.The project was finally started in January 2008, but till 2013 only 42 per cent work could be completed.
The management announced that the project would be completed by October 2015, but the date was later revised to November 30, 2016. The date was then further pushed to mid-2017 citing technical reasons and a shortage of cash. The management claims that the dam’s site has been completed by 74 per cent, while 84 per cent work on powerhouse has been finished.
It is pertinent to mention here that Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Company – a subsidiary of WAPDA – is managing the 969 MW project located in Muzaffarabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. As per agreed on timelines by the contractor, the first generating unit of the project is expected to be completed in July 2017, whereas the remaining three units will come online one by one until the end of December 2017. On its completion, the project will contribute 5.15 billion units of low-cost and environment-friendly electricity to the system each year.
