Daily Times

LAHORE: The 969 mega watt (MW) Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project is being completed according to schedule. This was stated by Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain during a visit to the under-construction project in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The project is scheduled to attain a major landmark, when the second tunnel boring machine (TBM) will achieve breakthrough of the right headrace tunnel during the last week of April, marking the completion of excavation of over 68-kilometre long tunnel system of the project. The breakthrough of left head race tunnel had been achieved in October 2016. Speaking on the occasion, the chairman said that the project was nearing completion. “The project is heading towards its completion in accordance with the stipulated work plan,” he said. During his visit to the headrace tunnel, the chairman was informed that the waterway system would enter the final phase after the excavation of the tunnels. “Thereafter, the tunnels will be ready to divert water from dam site to the power house. Impounding of the reservoir will commence during October this year,” the officials said. Interacting with the field staff, the chairman said that once completed, the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project would be an engineering marvel of the century. The first unit of the project is planned to commence electricity generation by February 2018, second in March and the third and fourth in April 2018. The project will provide five billion units of electricity to the national grid every year.