Punjab CM Buzdar inaugurates Maralla hydropower project
- By Web Desk -
- Nov 05, 2018
SIALKOT: Chief Minister of Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar inaugurated Head Maralla Hydropower Project on Monday (today) near Sialkot.
Provincial Secretary for Power Amir Jan briefed the chief minister about the power project during the ceremony.
Chief Minister Buzdar addressing the inaugural ceremony said that the Head Maralla Power Project will help to address the power crisis.
He announced that the construction of Pasroor and Head Maralla road will be completed soon.
He also announced establishment of an economic zone in the area.
He said the government will try its utmost to resolve the problems of people.
The hydropower project has been established at Upper Chenab Canal near Head Marala Barrage over River Chenab with a total cost of Rs 3.98 billion with the supervision of the Chinese engineers.
The project has a maximum power generation capacity of 7.64 megawatts with four turbines of 1.9 megawatts capacity each. The turbines made operational after successful tests conducted under the joint supervision of Chinese and Pakistani engineers, concerned officials said.
The power plant would produce 50.3 million units electricity annually and was linked with the national grid.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project having 969 megawatts power generation capacity was also completed and made operational this year.
The hydropower project has four power generating units, individually with a generation capacity of 242.25 MW each.
The first unit of the project was commissioned in April 2018, followed by the rest three units coming into operation, each after one month’s gap.
The government is focusing on the eco-friendly power generation in the country.
The Karot Hydropower Station, the first hydropower investment project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has also entered the stage of comprehensive construction.
According to Chinese media, the construction of the project has begun. The hydropower station located in the Karot area of Punjab province is the first hydropower station constructed by Chinese enterprises following Chinese standards.
The project will generate clean power of 3.2 billion KW-hours each year after it is completed, which is enough to supply power to over two million households and is expected to begin operation in 2021.