WAPDA chairman reviews Tarbela 5th extension, calls for faster work on key sections

Chairman WAPDA Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Saeed on Tuesday reviewed progress on the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project, urging accelerated construction on critical components to keep the project on schedule.

During a detailed visit to the project site at Tunnel No 5 of Tarbela Dam, the chairman was briefed on the status of major works, including the intake structure, connecting tunnel, powerhouse, switchyard and transmission line. Officials informed him that overall physical progress on the project has reached 56 percent, with the first generating unit scheduled to begin electricity production in April 2027 following completion of civil and electro-mechanical works.

The Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project has a total installed capacity of 1530 megawatts, comprising three generating units of 510MW each. Once completed, the project is expected to supply about 1.466 billion units of low-cost, clean electricity to the national grid annually.

Reviewing the pace of work, the WAPDA chairman directed consultants, contractors and the project team to intensify efforts on key fronts, particularly the connecting tunnel and powerhouse. He also stressed strict adherence to quality standards during implementation.

The project is being constructed with financial support from international lenders, with the World Bank providing US$390 million and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank contributing US$300 million.

With the completion of the fifth extension, installed power generation capacity at Tarbela Dam will rise from 4,888MW to 6,418MW, further strengthening Pakistan’s hydropower base.

Member Water Syed Ali Akhtar Shah, Member Power Muhammad Arfan Miana, the general manager and project director of T5, general managers of Tarbela Dam and Tarbela Power, along with WAPDA advisors for projects and for T4 and T5, were present during the visit.

Later, the chairman also inspected the low-level outlets and powerhouse of the 1,410MW Tarbela 4th Extension Hydropower Project. Since its commissioning in 2018, the fourth extension has contributed about 33 billion units of electricity to the national grid.