ISLAMABAD, Feb 14 (APP): Minister of State for Water and Power
Chaudhry Abid Sher Ali has said the Tarbela 4th and 5th extension
power projects would add 2820 MW low cost hydel electricity to the
national grid system.
Talking to APP here, the minister said both the projects would
enhance the power generation capacity of Tarbela to 6298 MW from the
existing 3478 MW.
He said that around 49 per cent work had so far been completed
on the Tarbela 4th Extension Power Project and it would start supply
1410 NW to the national grid in July 2017.
The minister expressed the hope that 5th extension power
project would also add another 1410 MW to the system.
Regarding the 4th extension project, Abid said earlier the
project was scheduled to be completed in 2018, but on the directive
of the Prime Minister, work was expedited on the project and now it
would be ready by June 2017.
He said the project would cost $ 929 million and the World
Bank has provided financial assistance. The WB was also ready to
provide $ 796 million to Tarbela 5th extension power project, he
said.
However, he was of the view that the government would also
save $120 million, out of the total $929 million, and divert it to
the 5th extension project for which tendering was in process.
The minister said design study of the 5th extension has
already been completed at a cost of $2.9 million. “It will complete
in a 39-month period once work starts on it. The project would be
commissioned in March 2020,” he said.
He said 76 per cent work of Neelum-Jhelum power project has
also been completed adding that its first unit would start supplying
242 MW electricity to the national grid in July 2017.
“By the end of December 2017 the remaining three units having
capacity to generate 242 mw each would start supply electricity to
national gird , he said.
Abid Sher Ali said that as per promise made by the PML-N
during its election campaign the power shortage would be ended in
the country by the March 2018.
To a question, he said the government was making sincere
efforts to improve the existing transmission system, adding that
groundbreaking of Matiari-Lahore transmission would be performed
next month.
Besides, almost 60 percent work on Neelam-Jhelum transmission
line had already been completed, he added.
He regretted that pervious governments did not pay any
attention to improve the existing power transmission system, which
was almost 33 per cent outdated or overloaded.
Abid said there was ‘zero’ load-shedding to industrial sector
and no forced power load-management in any part of the country
except high loses areas.
He termed the year-2015 ‘significant’ for the power sector in
which the government reduced 1.5 percent transmission and
distribution losses and saved Rs 135 billion and passed on its
benefit to the consumers.
The minister said 3,600 MW Liquified Natural Gas-based
projects would complete in 2017, besides coal power plants would
start generation by that time.