78pc work of Neelum-Jhelum Hydro-electric project completed

About 78 percent of overall physical work of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric project, being constructed with an installed capacity of 959 MW and located in vicinity of Muzaffarabad (Azad Kashmir), has so far been completed. The financial progress of project which envisages the diversion of

Neelum river water through a 28.5 km tunnels and after producing power, outfalls into Jhelum River, is about 57 percent as per the third revised PC-1. A Composite Dam 160 meter long and 60 meter high is being constructed on River Neelum at Nauseri 41 km north east of Muzaffarabad.

Powerhouse Complex is located near Chattar Kalas, 22 km south of Muzaffarabad. The construction activities are at the critical stage, with day and night working in shifts, being simultaneously executed on all sites, according to official sources here on Sunday. The progress at Dam site is 76 percent and 61 km of tunnels have been excavated. 16.6 km out of 26.64 km of HRT Concrete Lining has been completed. The Powerhouse has been excavated 100 percent and concrete work is in progress. EMH equipment is being installed at all four Units. Third Revised PC-1 (2015) for Rs. 404.321 billion has been approved by Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) on December 2015.

The civil works of Powerhouse and Transformer Hall would be completed this year.The completion of Steel Liner at River crossing and Tunneling work including River crossing has been targeted in year 2017.The dry testing of Unit # 4 would be carried out in December, 2016 while testing of Unit # 3, Unit # 3, Unit # 2 and Unit # 1 would be held in the year 2017.Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Company (NJHPC, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) constituted as a subsidiary of WAPDA, is the executing agency of the project on behalf of WAPDA and Government of Pakistan. According to a report of monitoring team headed by the Member (I&M), Ministry of Planning, Development and Reforms which visited the mega project of immense national importance observed that 100 percent excavation work has been completed for instruction of Desander and Collecting Canal. Both the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) are fully operational and have demined 1.5 km of tunnel.

It observed that 66 percent concerting of Powerhouse and 96 percent concerting of Transformer Hall has been completed while drafts tubes, Bonnected Gates and Penstocks are being installed.Tunnels excavation has been completed in 56 km against total

length of 67 km while Jhelum River Crossing of Headrace Tunnel is in progress.Total six, out of 13, transformers have reached the site and seven will reach in May-June.Spillways Hydraulic Gates are being installed while design of E&M work has been completed.