Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has initiated construction work on Jabban Hydropower Rehabilitation Project at a cost of Rs3.7 billion, which is scheduled to be completed in one year and nine months.
AFD, a financial institution of France, is providing 25 million Euros for the project. Once rehabilitated 22-MW Jabban Hydropower Project will contribute 122 million units of electricity per annum.
WAPDA Chairman Shakil Durrani, in connection with initiation of rehabilitation works on the project, said that WAPDA is implementing a two-prong-strategy for optimum utilisation of the indigenous hydropower resources to cope with growing demand of electricity in the country. On one hand, WAPDA is constructing a number of new hydropower projects on priority; while on the other hand, it is also engaged in executing refurbishment and rehabilitation of its aged hydel power stations. This strategy will help improve the ratio of low-cost hydel electricity in the National Grid so as to stabilise the power tariff, he added.
The Chairman said that hydel power projects with a cumulative generation capacity of more than 1400 MW are under construction, while work on 4500-MW Diamer Basha Dam - the largest project in the history of Pakistan - will soon be started. He said that consultancy agreement to carry out feasibility study for up-gradation of generating units of 1000- MW Mangla Power Station was awarded last month. The Chairman further said that selection of the consultants for rehabilitation and refurbishment of 243-MW Warsak Power Station is also under process. It is pertinent to mention that Jabban Hydropower Station was established in 1937 with a generation capacity of 9.6 MW.