LAHORE - Wapda Chairman Shakil Durrani has directed the Chinese contractor Messers Dongfang Electric Corporation to accelerate work on Jinnah Hydropower Project so that it could start generating electricity by August this year. He expressed these views during his visit to Jinnah Hydropower Project. The project is a part of least-cost energy generation plan, being executed by Wapda on priority basis to harness indigenous hydropower resource of the country with a view to improving the ratio of hydel electricity in the national grid. Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman said that it had become all the more important to complete the under-construction Jinnah Hydropower Project as early as possible because country direly need electricity to cope with its increasing demand. Besides gearing up construction activities on the other components of the project, the first unit shall be completed by the mid August. However, quality of work and safety of the engineers and workers serving on the project be properly taken care of, he directed the contractor. The Chairman assured that Wapda would provide all possible support to the contractor in completing the remaining works of the project. According to the Wapda spokesman, Jinnah Hydropower is being constructed as a run-of-the-river project on the River Indus at Jinnah Barrage in Mianwali district. On its completion, the project will contribute 688 million units (Gwh) of low-cost electricity annually to the national grid. Annual benefits of the project are estimated at about Rs.3 billion. The spokesman said that 96-MW Jinnah, 17-MW Gomal Zam, 72-MW Khan Khwar, 121-MW Allai Khwar and 130-MW Duber Khwar hydropower projects were at the advance stage in August last year, when the devastating floods adversely affected the construction activities on them.