First unit of Neelum Jhelum Hydropower project to start generation next year

ISLAMABAD: First unit of 969 MW Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project would start generation in February in 2018.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was apprised this in a meeting held to discuss the affairs of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) on Friday in Islamabad.

Chairman WAPDA Lt Gen (Retd) Muzammil Hussain briefed the meeting about the ongoing and future water and power projects.

The meeting was informed that among the ongoing projects, work on Kachhi Canal having capacity of irrigating 72,000 acres of land in Dera Bugti has been completed and it would be inaugurated very soon.

The PM expressed satisfaction over the project and said the entire demography of Dera Bugti and other areas of Balochistan would benefit from this canal.

Regarding 1,410 MW Tarbela IV Extension, the chairman informed that its first unit would be ready for power generation by February 2018, second by April, 2018 and the third by May, 2018.

The meeting was also briefed about work on Dasu Hydropower Project and Diamer Bhasha Dam Project.

Prime Minister directed to control the cost escalation in these projects without compromising quality of work.

Abbasi directed the Ministry of Water Resources to focus on all the ongoing development projects and ensure their timely completion.

He said the new Ministry of Water resources had been constituted for better resolution of the issues. He said the present government initiated several mega water projects.

The prime minister said we must make Ministry of Water Resources productive and renew our efforts in this regard.