Investigation into Neelum-Jhelum project’s ‘failure’ begins
An investigation into the “failure” of the 969-megawatt Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project will be conducted by the Ministry of Water Resources in coordination with the Water and Power Development Authority, and the investigation will involve the hiring of foreign experts.
The investigation process has reportedly been launched by the Ministry of Water Resources and Wapda, and the former has requested expressions of interest from global research firms.
The ministry will identify the officials in charge of the “failure” of the project following the investigation by international experts.
Investigation into Neelum-Jhelum project’s ‘failure’ begins
The investigation, according to the sources, would establish whether the “failure” was the result of poor design or shoddy construction.
The Mohmand Dam was harmed by the recent catastrophic floods, according to the Ministry of Water Resources, which tasked Wapda with examining the situation. “Wapda began the investigation and drafted a summary.”
The investigation process would begin after the summary was sent to the prime minister the following week, according to the ministry.
It claimed that Wapda had also suggested hiring an outside expert to look into the Mohmand Dam’s damage.
Background
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower plant was a component of a run-of-the-river hydroelectric power scheme built to divert water from the Neelum River to a power station on the Jhelum River.
A Chinese consortium was given the construction contract in July 2007, and work on the project officially started in 2008 after that.
The project was finally finished in August 2018 when the fourth and final unit was synchronized with the national grid on August 13 and reached its maximum generation capacity of 969 MW on August 14. The first generator had been delayed for many years before it was finally put into service in April 2018.
Neelum-Jhelum #hydropower project to start full generation by March next year: WAPDA Chairman Muzammil Hussain pic.twitter.com/tNoxf5qe3r
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) July 12, 2017
