Generation from 121MW Allai Khwar project by month-end

LAHORE – The 121-MW Allai Khwar Hydropower Project is likely to start electricity generation on trial basis by the end of month. The WAPDA is adding about six projects of total 403MW in the national grid within next four months and it is estimated that with the addition of this quantity in national grid about one hour average electricity loadshedding would be decreased in the country. The authority spokesman said that water filling in the Allia Khawar reservoir had been started on Tuesday. The project had entered its completion stage and it comprised two generating units of 61.5MW each, he added.   “Other main components of the project including a dam (weir), the 2.3-kilometer long steel-lined tunnel, structure of the power house and switchyard have already been completed. Environment-friendly Allai Khwar Hydropower Project, on its completion, will generate 560 million units of low-cost hydel electricity per annum, which will result in saving million of dollars on the corresponding generation of costly thermal energy.”Allai Khwar – one of the three high-head hydropower projects – is being constructed on Allai Khwar, a tributary of Indus River in district Battagram of Khyber PK province. The other two high-head hydropower projects include the 72 MW-Khan Khwar and the 130 MW-Duber Khwar. Following completion of the Khan Khwar Hydropower Project, which was formally inaugurated by the Prime Minister couple of months ago, the Duber Khwar Hydropower Project is also nearing completion and expected to be completed in early 2013, according to the WAPDA. It has been stated that Allai Khwar Hydropower Project is a part of least-cost energy generation plan of WAPDA being executed on priority to cope with the increasing needs of electricity and water in the country. Under the plan, WAPDA is working on 20 large and medium-sized projects with cumulative electricity generation capacity of 20,000MW and water storage capacity of 12 million acre feet (MAF). Of these projects, six multipurpose schemes with power generation capacity of over 400MW and water storage capacity of 1.23 MAF will be completed in the year 2012 and early 2013.

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