Tarbela Dam hydropower project construction: Austria offers financial, technical assistance

Austria has expressed interest to provide technical and financial assistance and investment for construction of the 960 MW, 4th extension hydropower project of Tarbela Dam. It sought co-operation of the Ministry of Water and Power in this regard.
The offer was made by a four-member Austrian delegation led by Ambassador of Austria in Pakistan, Dr Michael Stigelbauer in a meeting with Federal Minister for Water and Power, Raja Pervez Ashraf here Monday. Secretary Ministry of Water and Power and senior officers of the ministry were also present in the meeting.
The delegation apprised the minister that Austria has great potential and experience in the hydropower sector, adding that the generation capacity of hydropower is 62 percent while the remaining capacity of power relies on renewable resources. They further informed the minister that their government wanted to intensify its economic and trade relations with Pakistan and offered technical and financial assistance in the power sector. He said that after three weeks, a detailed presentation would be presented by Austrian experts to the minister for the project.
The minister appreciated the offer of Austrian delegation and assured his full support to the investors of Austria to make investment in the construction of 960 MW project of 4th extension hydropower of Tarbela Dam.
He informed the delegation that there was great opportunity of investment in the power sector in Pakistan, adding that Pakistan encourages private sector to invest in it. The GoP wants to utilise technical expertise of Austria to make profitable investment in the power sector, he added. He asked the delegation to make a proposal in this regard and assured that its proposal would be discussed in the proper forum for consideration.
Raja Pervez Ashraf hoped that this offer would also help to encourage foreign investors to come Pakistan to make viable investments in Pakistan, adding that this huge financial investment will be a major breakthrough (at a time) when foreign investors were reluctant to come to Pakistan in the prevailing situation. The installed capacity of the powerhouse of the project is 960 MW having two units (480 each). The benefits of the project are generation of hydropower, employment generation and development of fisheries.-PR