Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has said that it would be able to add 10,276 MW hydel power to the system by 2020 subject to provision of funds by the government.
The Chairman Wapda Shakeel Durrani along with other officials informed the Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power during a briefing on the progress on various water reservoirs/dams that a number of hydel power projects are under execution and some of them to be completed in the current fiscal year. Some in the coming few years that would alleviate the problem of loadshedding. He said that by 2020 Wapda would be able to add more than 10,000MW to the system and complained the non provision of allocated PSDP funds for hydel projects has been leading to delay or cost overrun of the projects.
Official of Wapda said that releases for construction of water reservoirs was being delayed because of financial problems and stated that an amount of Rs 27.115 billion was earmarked for power sector projects in the fiscal year 2009-10 which was revised downward to Rs 16.891 billion and Rs 11.395 billion were released. In subsequent fiscal year, 2010-11. The government allocated Rs 15.395 billion but provided only Rs 9.534 billion. The committee was informed that in the fiscal year 2011-12, the government allocated Rs 20 billion against Rs 138.7 billion demanded by the Wapda and only Rs 14.707 billion have been released. As a result, the official said Wapda has to pay Rs 35 billion to the contractors.
Shakeel Durrani, Chairman Wapda said that the major success of Pakistan against India over water was that international court of Justice has issued stay on Kishan Ganga hydropower project. He said that hearing of the case to be held next month. He said that Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project being constructed by the Pakistan is much bigger than Kishan Ganga project. He said that size of the tunnel of Kishan Ganga hydropower project is 23 kilometre with 300MW power generation potential whereas length of the tunnel of Neelum Jhelum hydro project is 58 kilometer with generation capacity of 959MW power for the country.
He said that machine for Tunnel boring has already been imported which would reduce the construction period by 18 months. The project, he said is now expected to be completed by 2016 against previous date of 2018. He said that China has agreed after three years negotiation to provide financing for three hydro power projects at relatively lower interest rate and another three hydro projects, USAID has agreed to finance. Official of Wapda said that Chinese bank is expected to release 700 million dollars for hydro projects soon.
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