Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) achieved yet another landmark towards energy security of the country, as Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project started electricity generation on Monday.
The first generating unit, put into operation has started providing electricity to the National Grid.
The WAPDA spokesman said here that to mark the significant development of electricity generation from the first unit, WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen (R) Muzammil Hussain visited Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project.
Congratulating the WAPDA project management, the consultants and the contractors on successful commissioning of the first unit, the Chairman said that WAPDA was able to achieve this target with blessings of Almighty Allah and devotion and hard work of the engineers and other officials associated with the Project.
Highlighting significance of the project in economic development and social uplift of the country, he said that the Prime Minister would formally inaugurate Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project in the second week of March.
Under the 1410 MW Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project, three electric power generating units – each of them having capacity of 470 MW – have been installed at the Tunnel 4 of Tarbela Dam. The first unit has started electricity generation. The second unit is scheduled to be commissioned by end of April, while the third unit is schedule to start electricity generation by end of May, this year.
He said, WAPDA was determined to add 2487 MW low-cost hydel electricity to the national grid by June 2018 with phased completion of its three hydropower projects including the 108 MW-Golen Gol, the 969 MW-Neelum Jhelum and the 1410 MW-Tarbela 4th Extension.
He mentioned that 1410 MW-Tarbela 4th Extension was a component of least-cost energy generation plan being implemented by WAPDA on priority to meet electricity requirements in the country and increased the ratio of hydel electricity in the National Grid to stabilize electricity tariff for the consumers.
With completion of the project, generation capacity of the existing Tarbela Hydel Power Station would increase to 4888 MW from the existing 3478 MW. Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project would provide 3.84 billion units of electricity to the National Grid per annum. Annual benefits of the project had been estimated at Rs. 30 billion and the project will pay back its cost in just three years, he concluded.
