Fault in 969MW Neelum-Jhelum Project Yet to be Identified

The management of Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project Tuesday briefed National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) officials regarding the technical fault in the 969-megawatt plant.

The plant has been non-operational since July 06 due to a technical fault which has suspended the supply of electricity to the national grid.

The management appraised that their experts are in the process of investigating the fault and will take remedial measures once the fault is detected.

NEPRA Chairman Tauseef H. Farooqi and Member Engr. Maqsood Anwar Khan directed the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project Chief Executive Officer to expedite the restoration of the plant as it is causing a loss to consumers to the tune of around Rs. 350 million per day on account of opportunity cost by running expensive residual fuel oils (RFO) based plants to meet the same generation.

Previously, during a meeting of the National Assembly Committee on Water Resources, the Water Resources Division Secretary Kazim Niaz had said that one tunnel of the plant was blocked.

The tunnel is 3.5-km long, and the problem can only be understood by clearing the tunnel, which will require at least a month, he informed.

Source: pro Pakistan