Chairman Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Syed Raghib Shah said on Tuesday that 400MW electricity will be added to the system besides one million acre feet water by the middle of 2013. He was addressing a press conference at the Wapda House along with Member Water, Member Power, Secretary Wapda and a brigade of foreign consultants.
Briefing the media about water and hydropower projects to media, Chairman said Wapda is working on 20 projects to meet water and power requirements of the country. The completion of these projects would generation 20,000MW cheap electricity besides storage of 12 million acre feet water, he added. According to him, some 5,000MW electricity will also be added to the system in next five year and total of 14,000MW by 2020 subject to availability of funds.
He said Wapda has adopted the best strategy to complete under construction projects and each project would be completed in phases. Raghib Shah said that Diamer Basha Dam was a multi-purpose project and top of the priority of the government as well as Wapda. A total of Rs 13.78 billion is allocated for the project this year and land acquisition in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhaw is under process. As many as 14 contractors have been hired to construct exemplary villages for affectees, Wapda offices, colonies and contractors' camps in the project area besides the roads.
He further informed that expressions of interests have been sought from the consultants for the Dam and negotiations with foreign and international funding institutions are underway with several options. Further, he said, all available resources will be utilised for scheduled completion of Neelum Jhelum Hydropower project by 2016. Digging of some 27-KM tunnel out of total 63-KM tunnel is under process, he added. He said contract for civil work at the fourth extension in the 1,410MW Tarbela Dam would be awarded by coming March, as the World Bank has provided $80 million for the project. Chairman Wapda also informed that detail designing of 4,320MW Dasu Hydropower project would be completed by 2013, as the World Bank has shown interest in the project.