LAHORE: The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is working on hydropower projects with cumulative generation capacity of about 20,000MW, out of which, 7000MW projects are in the construction phase, while the rest are in the final stage of their detailed engineering designs.

WAPDA Chairman Shakil Durrani stated this, while addressing a delegation of National Institute of Management (NIM) Peshawar here at WAPDA House on Wednesday. The delegation was led by NIM Chief Instructor Dr. Faizur Rahman.

The Chairman said that WAPDA was executing on priority the 969MW Neelum Jhelum, 4500MW Diamer Basha Dam, 1410MW Tarbela 4th Extension, 7100MW Bunji Dam, 4320MW Dasu Dam, 740MW Munda Dam etc. to cope with the increasing demand of electricity in the country.

These projects would not only help stabilise electricity tariff by increasing ratio of low-cost hydel electricity in the National Grid but also reduce dependence on imported oil.

To a question, the Chairman said that WAPDA had procured two state-of-the-art tunnel boring machines to expedite work on strategically important Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. At present, about 32 percent construction work is complete, while overall completion of the project is expected by mid 2016, he added.

About technical expertise of WAPDA, the Chairman apprised the delegates that first-ever tunnel boring machine in the world was used in Pakistan during construction of the Mangla Dam in 1960s.

Earlier, the delegation was also briefed on water and power sector by WAPDA Chief Engineer (Diamer Basha Dam) Shamshad Muhammad Khan and PEPCO Director General (Energy Management and Conservation) Ejaz Rafiq Qureshi respectively.

WAPDA Managing Director (Administration) Naveed Akram Cheema and Secretary Muhammad Imtiaz Tajwar were also present.