A three-member delegation of the World Bank, headed by its Regional Director for Infrastructure in South Asia, Pankaj Gupta, visited the under-construction 1530 MW Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project. Chairman WAPDA Engr Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd) accompanied the delegation.
The delegation had a detailed visit to several key sites and witnessed ongoing construction activities. These sites included a raised intake, a tunnel, a penstock and a powerhouse.
Earlier, the Chairman welcomed the delegation and thanked the World Bank for its support in harnessing Pakistan’s vital resources of water and hydropower. He expressed the hope that the six-decade-long partnership between the World Bank and WAPDA would further strengthen in the days to come.
During the on-site briefing, the GM/PD Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project apprised the delegation that construction work on all seven key work fronts is progressing well. Highlighting the milestones achieved on the Project, the delegation was briefed that excavations at the raised intake shaft, penstock, power house and switch yard have been completed. In contrast, concrete works at the raised intake, powerhouse, switch yard, tailrace culvert and canal are in progress. Draft tubes of all three generating units have been installed. Likewise, installation of penstock pipes and electro-mechanical works at the switch yard are also in progress. Electricity generation from the Project is likely to commence in 2026.
Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project is a component of the green, clean and least-cost energy generation plan of WAPDA. World Bank provides financial assistance amounting to US$ 390 million for the Project. Under the 5th Extension, three generating units – 510 MW each – are being installed at Tunnel No. 5 of Tarbela Dam Project to provide 1.347 billion units of hydropower electricity to the National Grid on average every year. Installed capacity at Tarbela Dam will surge to 6418 MW after completion of the Tarbela 5th Extension Project.
