Friday, May 16, 2008, Jamadi-ul-Awwal 9, 1429    

WAPDA signs agreement to produce 969 MW hydel power

Rana Yasif
 
Lahore—An agreement of Rs.4.1 billion for consultancy services for Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project (NJHEP) was signed between WAPDA and Neelum-Jhelum Consultants, a joint venture of two foreign and three local firms, here at WAPDA House.
Speaking on the occasion, WAPDA chairman said that the 969 MW Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project would be completed in seven years with a total cost of Rs.130 billion and contribute more than 5 billion units of electricity annually to the national grid.
He said that the project would help improve the ratio of hydel electricity in the total generation system of the country. Per unit electricity, generated by the project, will cost only Rs. 1.92, which is about three times less than that of the thermal generation.
While thanking the AJK Government, the Chairman revealed that the land for the project has already been acquired.
Dilating upon the future hydropower projects of WAPDA, the chairman said that detailed engineering designs of various hydropower projects with accumulative generation capacity of 25,000 MW are presently at the advance stages.
He said that the construction work on the 4,500 MW Diamer-Bhasha Dam would commence in June next year. Likewise Kohala Hydropower Project (1,200 MW) and Bunji Hydropower Project (5,400 MW) are expected to start in 2010 and 2011 respectively.