ISLAMABAD: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has sought Power Division’s nod to shutdown its two units of Warsak Hydroelectric Power Station for rehabilitation, after National Power Control Centre (NPCC), an arm of National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), made the same request, well-informed sources in Ministry of Water Resources told Business Recorder.
According to Wapda, it is undertaking rehabilitation work of the generating units of Warsak Hydroelectric Power Station with the financing of AFD/ KFW/ EIB loan (Euro 130 million) to restore the original capacity of Warsak from 193-MW to 243-MW to provide consistent cheap power to the national grid for another 30-35 years life cycle and also to modernize its old/ obsolete machinery with latest technologies.
In this regard the PC-l was approved by Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) on July 09, 2015.
Wapda maintains that contract for E&M works was awarded to M/s G.E hydro France & Sinohydro China JV on November 05, 2021. The design phase of E&M equipment of project is near completion and the project will enter into implementation phase in the near future.
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As per contract agreement & baseline time schedule submitted by E&M contractor, units 5 & 6 will be handed over to the contractor by May 23, 2023 for dismantling and rehabilitation work. Subse-quently, these generating units will be brought back on board on March 21, 2024 and April 06, 2024 (tentatively) after completion of their rehabilitation.
Member Power (Wapda) Jamil Akhtar argued that once the milestone of rehabilitation of first two units (5 & 6) shall have been achieved, the project will move to the next phase, the rehabilitation of next two Units (3 & 4).
Wapda had approached NPCC, the System Operator (SO) GM for soliciting of shutdown on units 5 & 6 from April 28, 2023 to March 21, 2024 & from May 23, 2023 to June 06, 2024, respectively, to undertake rehabilitation activities of units 5 & 6.
However, GM (SO) NPCC, in his letter of March 28, 2023 regretted the shutdown of units 5 & 6, saying that the proposed shutdown exceeds the minimum allowable time for maintenance activities in any agreement year, as specified in PPA table-1 of schedule-2. Therefore, the shutdown on units 5 & 6 cannot be allowed.
Member Power (Wapda), sources said, in his communication with Wapda’s parent Ministry, i.e., Ministry of Water Resources, argued that considering the gravity of matter and contractual obligation, concurrence of Ministry of Energy (Power Division) is required to be obtained for smooth and efficient execution of project.
Wapda, through Ministry of Water Resources, requested concurrence of Ministry of Energy (Power) Division regarding shutdown of units (5 & 6) of Warsak Power Station to carry out rehabilitation works of Units 5 and 6 in light of Contract Agreement with M/s GE, Hydro France & Sinohydro China JV.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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