Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Zafar Mahmood visited the under construction 1410 MW Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project to review progress of work on the project. He witnessed construction activities on various sites including powerhouse and switchyard.
WAPDA chairman also visited the site where an accident took place during construction work on July 2. He condoled with the Chinese staff on demise of two Chinese workers and enquired about the recovery of the injured.
He emphasized upon the project authorities to revisit the safety plan during construction work to avoid re-occurrence of such untoward incident in future.
Tarbela Dam Project General Manager Iqbal Masood Siddiqui, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project Director Sohail Khan, representatives of the project consultants and contractors of civil as well as electro-mechanical works were also present during the Chairman's weekly visit to the project.
During a briefing, the project authorities apprised the Chairman about progress on the project. He was also informed of the constraints in the way to implementing the project. Tarbela Dam Project General Manager told the chairman that the crucial construction work on the intake structure of the tunnel four located in the reservoir area that had to be suspended on June 20, 2016 owing to early increase in the reservoir level to the height of 1483 feet above mean sea level caused by the unusual increased water inflows, is likely to be resumed in November this year, when water level in the reservoir will come down to the required level because of the IRSA's indent to fulfill irrigation requirements of the provinces. However, work on other sites is going on satisfactorily.
But suspension of crucial construction work on the intake structure, which was planned to be completed in mid July 2016, may affect project's completion by mid 2017, he added.
Speaking on the occasion WAPDA chairman directed the project authorities to make utmost efforts in view of work constraints for completion of all three generating units - each of them generation capacity of 470 MW - in a phased manner in the shortest possible time.
It is pertinent to mention that Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project is being constructed on tunnel No 4 of Tarbela Dam.
The project will increase generation capacity of Tarblea Hydel Power Station from 3478 MW to 4888 MW, after installation of three units - with installed capacity of 470 MW each - on tunnel No 4 of Tarbela Dam.
The World Bank is providing US 840 million dollars for construction of the project. On completion, Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project will add about 3.84 billion units of low-cost electricity to the national grid per annum. The project will pay back its cost in just three years.
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