Pakistan CPEC Parliamentary Committee visits Neelum Jehlum Hydel Power Project

China Economic Net

Muzaffarabad: Chairman Pakistani Parliamentary Committee for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Ali Sher Arbab and members of the body visited the Neelum Jehlum Hydel Power Project (NJHPP) Novseri site here.

Chinese giant China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC) entered Pakistan in 2003 and started Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project, its first hydropower project in 2008.

The Neelum–Jhelum Hydropower Plant is part of a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power scheme in Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK), designed to divert water from the Neelum River to a power station on the Jhelum River. The power station is located 42 kilometers south of Muzaffarabad, and has an installed capacity of 969 MW.

Construction on the project began in 2008 after a Chinese consortium was awarded the construction contract in July 2007. After delay of many years, the first generator was commissioned in April 2018 and the entire project was completed in August 2018 when the fourth and last unit was synchronized with the national grid on 13 August and attained its maximum generation capacity of 969 MW on 14 August 2018. It will generate 5,150 GWh (gigawatt hour) per year at the levelised tariff of Pakistani Rs 13.50 per unit for 30 years.

The plant has managed to reach 1040 MW production on a few occasions, which is beyond its capacity and a rare precedence in hydel power sector.

The Parliamentary Committee for CPEC delegation visited the Neelum Jehlum Hydel Power Project (NJHPP) Novseri site led by Chairman Ali Sher Arbab.

The officials of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and the administration of NJHPP Company briefed the Parliamentary Committee for CPEC delegation on the occasion.

WAPDA Advisor Nayyer Alauddin and project Director Muhammad Bakhish Wasan while briefing the delegation said that the water of the Neelum River of NJHPP had been diverted through the tunnel via steel lining and passed beneath the River Jhelum and after completing its construction, the power production potential of the project was now 969 MWs.

The delegation was told that this project was launched in 2008 and completed in 2018. The Chairman Parliamentary Committee for CPEC Ali Sher Arbab, Member CPEC Committee Nafisa Anayetullah Khan Khatak and delegation later visited the different departments of the project.