The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Zafar Mahmood visited Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project Saturday to carry out its critical appraisal. He was briefed that three force main events, including abnormal high flows, IRSA's constraints on water releases and an accident at the site on 2nd of July this year have caused delays in meeting the completion targets.
It was further told that the construction activities on the project are being carried out round-the-clock and first unit of the project is expected to be completed in August 2017. The remaining two units would be operational in February and March 2018 respectively. Speaking on the occasion, Chairman WAPDA expressed his dissatisfaction over a delay in the second and third generating units. He further lamented over the absence of a detailed schedule of time lines for accelerated construction programme. Also, he said, the schedule was neither signed by the civil and electro-mechanical contractors nor endorsed by the consultants. "It was not made contractually enforceable," he added.
He directed the project authorities to prepare a revised schedule of the construction activity with the help of consultants and get it duly signed by the contractors before presenting it to him for a decision. A detailed financial and economic appraisal be carried out before submission of the revised schedule, he further stressed. He also urged the participants of meeting to carry out a fresh cost-benefit analysis in the revised schedule.
The Chairman made clear that the accelerated construction plan would have to be aborted in accordance with the contractual clauses if the contractor fails to submit a justifiable schedule. A payment of US $25.5 million made to the contractor until February 2016 would also be recovered, he added. He said the revised schedule should be submitted to him by Thursday to decide the fate of the accelerated construction plan.