TARBELA GHAZI - Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Zafar Mahmood on Wednesday visited Tarbela Dam to witness operating mechanism of the reservoir during the ongoing high water flows season and review construction work on the 1410MW Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project.
General Manager Tarbela Dam Iqbal Masood Siddiqui, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project Director Sohail Khan and representatives of the consultants accompanied him during the visit. The chairman visited the main dam, spillways and the reservoir. He also had a round of the various construction sites of Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project in addition to visiting Tarbela Hydel Power Station.
Addressing on the occasion, the chairman directed the General Manager TDP to strictly adhere to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which has been laid down for release of water downstream Tarbela Dam during flood seasons and a close coordination with all stakeholders must also be maintained for the purpose.
Reviewing construction work on Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project, the Chairman emphasised the need for timely completion of the project to fully utilise the high flow season of 2017. He directed the project authorities to expedite their efforts to commission the project by 2017 in accordance with the acceleration programme of the project being implemented by WAPDA on the directions of the prime minister for completion of the project according to the schedule.
He directed the officers concerned for closely monitoring the timelines of the acceleration programme, besides ensuring the prescribed construction standards of the project. Highlighting significance of the project, the chairman said that Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project will increase the generation capacity of Tarbela Hydropower Station to 4,888MW from the existing 3,478MW after installation of three units of 1,410MW on Tunnel No.4 adding about 3.84b units cheap electricity to Pakistan's national grid per year with annual estimated benefits of about Rs30.7b on its completion. The cost for the extension project was estimated at $928m with the assistance of the World Bank which will pay an amount of $840m as loan for the project.