Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is deploying two state-of-the-art tunnel boring machines (TBMs) at a cost of Rs 8 billion on the strategically important 969 MW-Neelum Jhelum Hydro-power Project. This will reduce construction period of the project by about 18 months, resulting in an estimated benefit of Rs 60 billion.
The two German-manufactured TBMs, being imported by the contractor, are expected to reach Pakistan by the end of this month. Chairman WAPDA Shakil Durrani stated this while briefing the Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) Prime Minister Chaudhry Abdul Majeed and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Dr Nadeem-ul-Haq during their visit to various components of Neelum Jhelum Hydro-power Project including underground powerhouse, weir site, diversion tunnel, de-sander and main tunnels, etc.
Federal Secretary Planning Asif Bajwa, AJK Chief Secretary Muhammad Shahzad Arbab, Planning Commission Member Energy Shahid Sattar, WAPDA Member (Water) Syed Raghib Abbas Shah, Member (Power) Muhammad Qasim Khan and senior officers concerned were also present during the visit.
WAPDA Chairman said that Neelum Jhelum Hydro-power Project, scheduled to be completed in 2016, will provide about 5.15 billion units of electricity annually to the National Grid. The annual benefits of the project have been estimated at Rs 45 billion, adding that the project will pay back its cost in about 7 years, he added.
Earlier, during the briefing Neelum Jhelum Hydro-power Project Chief Executive Officer Lieutenant General Muhammad Zubair (Retd) said that overall progress on the project stands at 30%.
Some 18.5-kilometer long tunnels and adits have so far been excavated, while the crucial diversion tunnel to divert the river Neelum were also completed in October last year in record time of two years. He said that construction work on all the three sites is in full swing. Work on powerhouse is heading as per schedule, while work on transformer hall is ahead of schedule. He also explained the reasons behind cost escalation of the project.