National News

Neelum Jhelum hydropower project to be ready by February next

ISLAMABAD, (MILLAT/APP): The Neelum Jhelum hydroelectric
project will be ready for inauguration on February 28 next year, the
Prime Minister was briefed by officials on Wednesday.
Chairman Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Lt Gen
Lieutenant General (Retd) Muzammil Hussain updated Prime Minister
Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on ongoing electricity projects here at the PM
House.
The Prime Minister had tasked the newly appointed Chairman
WAPDA to speed up execution of crucially significant hydro power
projects, meeting the deadlines set for their completion.
The left tunnel connection of the Neelum Jhelum project was
completed by October 23, 2016 while the right tunnel connection will
be completed by April 30, 2017.
The project’s dry test is scheduled for December 2017 while
the wet test will be undertaken by February 1 next year by
generating electricity and start earning revenue of US$15 million.
The second unit of Neelum Jhelum will be operational by March
15, 2018 while the 3rd and 4th unit by April 15.
The Chairman further briefed that speedy execution was
underway on Kachhi Canal Project which consist of main canal and
distribution system.
The project will provide irrigation water to an area of 72,000
acres in Dera Bugti, after its completion in August this year.
A total of 9,917 acres of land acquisition will be completed
by May 2017 for the 2,160 MW Dasu hydro power project.
The ground-breaking of main works on Dasu project by the Prime
Minister will be performed in June 2017 and the project will be
completed at cost of US$ 4,300 million.
The Golen Gol hydro project will produce electricity three
times more than the requirements of Chitral. This run of the river
project is located on Golen Gol Nullah, a majority tributary of
Mastuj River.
The project will have a 3.8 km long tunnel with an installed
capacity of 108 MW to be completed with a cost of Rs 29.077 billion
by December 2017.
Tarbela 4th Extension Project will enhance the capacity of the
project from 3,478 MW to 4,888 MW and the first unit of the
extension will be commissioned in December 2017. The 2nd and 3rd
units will be commissioned by the mid of 2018.