Pakistan’s Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has reviewed construction progress at the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project and completed testing of key water release infrastructure at the Tarbela 4th Extension project during a site visit by Chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed (Retd).
The visit to Tarbela Dam focused on progress at the 1530MW Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project (T5 HPP), where officials briefed the chairman on construction work across the intake structure, connecting tunnel, penstock, powerhouse, tailrace canal and switchyard.
WAPDA said work is continuing across all major components to meet project timelines. The chairman instructed project teams, consultants and contractors to accelerate construction while maintaining quality and safety standards.
The Tarbela 5th Extension project is being financed in part by the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which are providing US$390m and US$300m respectively. Once completed, the project will increase installed generation capacity at Tarbela from 4888MW to 6418MW.
During the visit, the chairman also witnessed testing and commissioning of the low level outlet (LLO) at the Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project (T4 HPP), which is intended to support water releases required by the Indus River System Authority (IRSA) during the Kharif irrigation season.
Officials said the Tarbela 4th Extension project, which entered operation in March 2018 with financial support from the World Bank, has generated 33.254 billion units of electricity for Pakistan’s national grid.
WAPDA also briefed the chairman on operation and maintenance activities at Tarbela Dam and Khanpur Dam.
According to WAPDA, Tarbela Dam has released more than 419 million acre feet of stored water for agricultural use and generated 586 billion units of electricity since 1974.
