Hydel generation crosses 7500 MW for the first time in history

LAHORE: The hydel power stations owned and operated by the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) generated the highest-ever electricity during the peak hours of the last two days as WAPDA hydel generation crossed 7500 megawatt (MW) mark for the first time in Pakistan.

Giving hydel generation details, the WAPDA spokesman said here Tuesday that WAPDA provided as much as 7571 MW and 7513 MW of electricity to the National Grid during peak hours on September 16 and 17 respectively. This quantum of hydel power share registered an increase of about 1000 MW if compared with that of previous years, he said, asserting that this increased share of hydel electricity in the National Grid is the result of power generation commencement from Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project and Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project.

In accordance with outflows from Tarbela Dam and availability of water in River Neelum, two units of Tarbela 4th Extension and one unit of Neelum Jhelum were providing electricity to the system.

The statistics of yesterday’s hydel generation during the peak hours show that Tarbela Hydel Power Station generated 3461 MW, Tarbela 4th Extension 770 MW, Ghazi Barotha 1450 MW, Mangla 920 MW, Warsak 185 MW, and Neelum Jhelum 243 MW while other hydel power stations cumulatively shared 484 MW to the National Grid, he added.

He mentioned that WAPDA owned as many as 19 hydel power stations with cumulative generation capacity of 6902 MW. In addition to these 19 hydel power stations, WAPDA has also completed three hydropower projects in 2018 namely Tarbela 4th Extension, Neelum Jhelum and Golen Gol with total installed capacity of 2487 MW. These projects are in their defect liability period and generating electricity in accordance with the prescribed standard operating procedure (SOP). The electricity generated by these projects is also being injected to the system.

He further said that hydel electricity is the cheapest one and environment-friendly. WAPDA provides about 31 billion units of hydel electricity on the average each year to the National Grid.

The share of hydel generation greatly contributes in lowering the overall electricity tariff for the consumers, as electricity generated through other sources is far costlier.