Hydel Power Station: Wapda chairman visits Tarbela 4th, 5th Extension

RECORDER REPORT: Chairman WAPDA Engineer Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (retd) visited Tarbela 4th Extension Hydel Power Station (T4) and inspected operation and maintenance (O&M) activities of the power station commissioned in 2018.

He also had a detailed round of the under-construction Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project (T5) to review construction activities on the sites.

The GM (Tarbela Dam), accompanied by the project management, briefed the Chairman about progress on the project. Consequent upon the permission accorded by IRSA for closure of Tunnel No.5, construction activities are being carried out simultaneously at five sites of T5 including intake, power house and switch yard.

Electricity generation from the project is scheduled for July 2025 with completion of its first unit. Unit No.2 and 3 are likely to be completed in August and September 2025 respectively, it was further briefed.

T5 is being constructed on Tunnel No. 5 of Tarbela Dam with approved PC-I of US$ 807 million. World Bank is providing US$ 390 million, while Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is providing US$ 300 million for construction of the project. Cumulative generation capacity of the project stands at 1530 MW with three generating units of 510 MW each.

The project will provide 1.347 billion units of green, clean and low-cost hydel electricity to the National Grid on the average every year. With completion of T5, installed capacity at Tarbela Dam will rise from 4888 MW to 6418 MW.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023