ISLAMABAD: The 969 MW Neelum-Jhelum hydropower design, which is non-operational since July 6, in the wake of blockage that appeared in the 3.5 km Tail Race Lair(TRT), has seen an estimated damage of Rs 22.50 billion(Rs2.50 billion construction cost and Rs20 billion as business loss).
“The design will now come on sluice by the end of February 2023. Till February 2023, the design would defy a business loss of Rs20 billion,” a elderly functionary of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Company Limited(NJHPCL) told The News.
When asked as to who’ll bear the loss, either the government or NICL(National Insurance Company Limited), the functionary said that both the heads, TRT, and business loss, are covered under the insurance agreement, so Wapda won’t bear the loss.
“NICL has a 7 share and a group of Chinese companies 93 in the insurance quantum. And they will partake the cost to be incurred on making the design functional.”
The functionary said since the CoD of the design ie April 2018, the insurance company is getting Rs1 billion from NJHPCL and so far, Rs4 billion have been entered by the insurance company. Now they will pay the damage cost of Rs2.5 billion and a business loss of Rs20 billion.
The person said the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower design generates business of Rs48-50 billion.
“In three months of the summer season, four units(turbines) of the design come functional, in six months, three units and in three months of downtime only one unit runs depending on overflows of water.”
The functionary said that authorities have decided to buy the conservation vehicle for the examination of the lair and complete the construction of the lair as soon as possible.
The original report about the lair debacle suggests that on July 4, when the factory was running at its full capacity(969MW), an abnormal increase in water leakage was observed in the hustler, which was controlled through nonstop drainage pumps.
Upon disquisition, high water pressure in the TRT was observed. Consequently, on July 5, it was concluded by the design advisers that an abnormal increase in TRT pressure and water leakages seepage in the hustler are due to blockage in TRT.
Considering the safety of the power structure and all other outfit/ ministry, units were shut down gradationally. As a result, the hustler was shut down on July 6.
incontinently after this incident, China Gezhouba Group Company(CGGC), the contractor for the construction of civil workshop, was engaged in carrying out remedial workshop.
The establishment incontinently reached the point and a contract agreement was inked with it on August 5, and the work commenced on August 27.
The Neelum-Jhelum hydropower design was executed at the cost of Rs430 billion and it started performing in April 2018 under the deep mountains in the AJK where the geology is neither predictable nor readable.
Source: The News
