LAHORE: The progress on Neelum-Jhelum Hydro Project stands at 78.5 per cent, and the tunnel boring machines (TBM), which suffered rock burst on May 31 last year, were restored in the second week of January.

Chief Executive Officer Engineer Muhammad Zubair told the Wapda chairman during a visit to the site on Friday. Chairman Zafar Mahmood asked the project authorities to further expedite their efforts to meet the revised schedule.

As per revised schedule, first generating unit of the project is expected to be completed in July 2017, whereas the remaining three units will come on line by the end of 2017 in different phases.

Speaking on the occasion, the chairman appreciated the commitment and devotion of the project authorities in implementing this extremely precarious project. He said that most of the critical targets relating to construction of the project had been successfully achieved, therefore, Wapda was confident to complete it as per the timelines.

During the visit, the chairman also witnessed excavation of tunnel through the TBM at rock burst site. The chief executive officer apprised the chairman that both TBMs deployed at the project had been functioning satisfactorily. He further informed the chairman that installation of three hydraulic gates at the dam site (Nauseri, Neelum Valley) shall be completed by 15 March 2016..

The Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Company is constructing a world class underground power generation facility. The project envisages 90 per cent construction work under high mountainous overburden and only 10 per cent above the surface.

The project, on its completion, will contribute 5.15 billion units of low-cost and environment friendly electricity to the national grid.

Published in Dawn, March 12th, 2016