WAPDA awards $354.6m contract to PCCCL
Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) on Friday awarded a contract worth US $ 354.6 million for civil works of the 1530 MWTarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project to Power Construction Corporation of China Limited (PCCCL) through international competitive bidding.
The contract signing ceremony of the project was held at WAPDA Mega Hydel Complex. Project Director Tarbela 5th Extension Muhammad Azam Joya and PCCCL Executive Representative in Pakistan Ling Jianke signed the contract on behalf of their organizations.
WAPDA Chairman Lt. Gen Muzammil Hussain ®, World Bank (WB) Country Director Najy Benhassine, WB Task Team Leader Dr. Rickard Liden, WAPDA Member Finance Naveed Asghar, Member Water Abdul Zahir Khan Durrani, Member Power Jamil Akhtar, General Managers concerned and representatives of the Consultants also witnessed the signing of the contract.
Addressing the ceremony, the Chairman said, "WAPDA, in its endeavor to enhancing water storage capacity and share of cheap and clean hydel power generation in the National Grid, Wapda is constructing as many as 10 projects including Tarbela 5th Extension", he said.
The Chairman said timely completion of these projects is their prime objective.
Underlining benefits of Tarbela Dam Project for economic development and social uplift he said, "We are confident to complete Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project in accordance with the stipulated timelines".
Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project is being constructed on Tunnel No. 5 of Tarbela Dam with an approved PC-I of US $ 807 million. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), World Bank is providing US $ 390 million, while Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to the tune of US $ 300 million.
The cumulative generation capacity of the project stands at 1530 MW with three generating units of 510 MW each.
The project, scheduled to start electricity generation by mid-2024, will provide 1.347 billion units of low-cost hydel electricity to the National Grid on average every year.
With the completion of the Tarbela 5thExtension Hydropower Project, installed capacity at Tarbela Dam will rise from 4888 MW to 6418 MW.