WAPDA signs $128m hydropower contract

Staff Report

LAHORE: The Water And Power Development Authority (WAPDA) on Monday signed a $128 million contract with Dongfang Electric Corporation (DEC) at WAPDA House for the construction of Jinnah Hydropower Project.

The proposed Jinnah Hydropower Project will be constructed on the right side of the Jinnah Barrage on the Indus River, 5 kilometres downstream of Kalabagh Town in Mianwali district. The low head hydropower project will utilise a gross head of 4.88 metres to move eight power units and generate 96 mega watts (MW) or 688 million units of electricity at a cost of 3.30 cents per unit and will be executed in 48 months from the date construction work begins. The project will be connected to the national grid through a 132 kilo-volt transmission line for the power dispersal.

Dongfang Electric Corporation Hydropower Division Manager Tan Zhengmin and WAPDA Hydro Development General Manager Ghulam Abbas signed the agreement on behalf of their organisations in the presence of WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen (r) Zulfiqar Ali Khan and members Muhammad Amin, Habibullah Khan, Javed Nizam and other senior officials.

Speaking on the occasion, the WAPDA chairman said the project consisted of designing, execution and completion of civil, electrical and mechanical works including remedial works.

He congratulated both parties for the agreement and mentioned that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the project was signed two years ago during President General Pervez Musharraf’s visit to China.

The WAPDA chief said the DEC would arrange 85 percent of the project cost under supplier’s credit and the remaining 15 percent would be paid by WAPDA in advance. DEC Vice President and Chief Economist Pan Jising called the agreement another milestone in the “exemplary relations” between Pakistan and China.

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