Affected by world warming and local weather change, Pakistan is at present affected by extreme warmth wave. Within the sizzling summer season season, when the ability shortfall within the nation has reached virtually 6,000 megawatts, the 969 megawatt hydropower venture ‘Neelam Jhelum Hydropower Challenge’ is affected by short-term shutdown once more.
Based on the assertion of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, at first of this venture, which began earlier than 2008, the price of the venture was estimated at 840 million {dollars}, whereas this venture was accomplished at a price of greater than 5 billion {dollars}.
Neelum Jhelum Hydro Challenge: From Inception to Current
The venture, which started manufacturing in 2018, confronted a brief shutdown 4 years later in July 2022 when the three.55 km tailrace tunnel cracked.
Based on the official information company Related Press of Pakistan (APP), on July 13, 2022, throughout a high-level assembly, then Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif electrified former Power Minister Khurram Dastgir after repairing the fault instantly. Directed to make sure immediate supply and expressed indignation over this technical glitch.
At the moment, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif had additionally directed that an inquiry must be carried out by a global group.
The tailrace tunnel took about 14 months to restore and the venture resumed manufacturing in September 2023.
On August 9, 2023, the then Federal Minister for Water Sources, Khurshid Shah, re-inaugurated the venture after repairs and began producing electrical energy by urgent a button. Nevertheless, full manufacturing capability nonetheless couldn’t be achieved.
The venture regained full manufacturing capability of 969 MW in March 2024 after the primary technical setback. However on April 16, 2024, the venture needed to be shut down once more as a result of technical issues and the ability era from the venture additionally stopped as a result of shutdown.
Unbiased Urdu has spoken to former Chairman Central Board of Income (CBR) Farhat Ali Mir relating to the Neelum Jhelum Hydro Challenge.
Farhat Ali Mir has additionally been part of the Worldwide Tribunal arrange relating to the dams of the 2 nations i.e. India and Pakistan on the Neelum (previously Kishan Ganga) river. On this regard, he additionally visited Indian-administered Kashmir, whereas the draft of the Neelum Jhelum Hydro Challenge settlement was additionally drafted by him because the regulation secretary.
Farhat Ali Mir says, ‘Initially, we’ve got to grasp what’s the potential of water-generated electrical energy in Azad Kashmir? We’ve got an estimated capability of eight to 9 thousand megawatts. It’s one factor to have the aptitude and one other factor to have the ability to use it’.
Two main tasks of WAPDA are purposeful in Azad Kashmir particularly Mangala with round 1200 MW and Neelum Jhelum with 969 MW. Because the inception of the Neelum Jhelum, the electrical energy generated by it’s eighteen billion models, however the venture has been shut down twice. For 2 years, the manufacturing of this venture is both very low or utterly stopped.
Neelum Jhelum hydro venture shutdown how a lot loss per day?
Based on Farhat Ali Mir, this venture has generated 18 billion models of electrical energy since 2018. The each day common of those electrical energy models is about 98 lakh models.
There are totally different worth slabs per unit of electrical energy in Pakistan. All these slabs common round Rs 30 per unit. If the each day loss is estimated at Rs 30 per unit, a one-day shutdown of the Neelum Jhelum venture ends in a lack of round Rs 29 crore.
This part accommodates associated reference factors (Associated Nodes discipline).
When Farhat Ali Mir was requested about this estimate, he stated: ‘Based on the essential particulars we’ve got, the each day lack of round Rs 29 crore is appropriate’.
Absence of treaties in the course of the governments of Pakistan and Kashmir
It’s also value noting that there’s nonetheless no settlement relating to environmental safety and water utilization fees relating to the Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Challenge.
Based on Farhat Ali Mir, when he was the regulation secretary of Kashmir, he had drafted these agreements. However regardless of the passage of a few years, these agreements couldn’t be signed.
There are additionally on-record judgments of the Excessive Court docket of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, through which the state authorities has been certain to implement these agreements as quickly as attainable.
Based on Farhat Ali Mir, “Throughout my service, I’ve had greater than 50 conferences with authorities delegations of Pakistan on the problems of those agreements”.
Farhat Ali Mir stated that since Azad Kashmir isn’t a constitutional a part of Pakistan however an unbiased state, the Ministry of Finance of Pakistan had given an opinion that Hathidal revenue can’t be given to them. As a substitute they are going to be given water utilization fees. In different phrases, the water used within the Neelum and Jhelum rivers will probably be paid a charge.
Farhat Ali Mir stated that it is a venture value 550 billion and the Authorities of Pakistan and WAPDA have invested in it. On high of which, the declare of water utilization fees of the Kashmir authorities is made, which is feasible after the settlement is made on the charge of 1 rupee 10 paise or one rupee 42 paise per unit of electrical energy.
That’s, in easy phrases, if this venture generates 98 lakh models of electrical energy per day, then the federal government of Kashmir will probably be entitled to about Rs.
Nevertheless, Farhat Ali Mir stated that these fees haven’t but been acquired by the federal government of Azad Kashmir as a result of non-signing of the settlement.
Relating to the bills incurred on this venture, Farhat Ali Mir stated that if such tasks proceed, “the capital spent on these tasks will probably be recovered in 4 to 5 years”.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s concern over the closure of the venture
When Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Muzaffarabad on Might 16, it had been virtually a month because the Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Challenge confronted its second shutdown.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif expressed his displeasure over the closure of the venture and stated that ‘even earlier than 2008, when the thought of this venture was introduced, at the moment it was estimated at 840 million {dollars}. Which elevated to 5 billion {dollars} in 2018.
He stated that that is the second incident that the venture has gone flawed. The primary fault occurred in July 2022 on the finish of the tunnel. It crashed once more in April 2024. It is rather unlucky’.
“Based on the IPO, this error is a mix of many issues. I’m not objecting to the explanations he said however the place he pointed on the market was a flaw within the design. There was a flaw within the building. The place there ought to have been concrete filling, soil filling was accomplished. What might be extra unlucky than that, regardless of billions of {dollars}, there will probably be an issue in Zeezain?’
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif additional stated that ‘was any third get together approached for such a giant venture? Was the development firm’s work inspected by a 3rd get together after which paid to him?’
“Come out with the ultimate report in the identical month (Might 2024). It isn’t simply me. It isn’t nearly WAPDA. The destiny of the individuals of Pakistan depends upon it. These instantly accountable must be decided. Whoever they’re. Whether or not it’s a building firm. is a designer. These accountable must be decided now.
Shahbaz Sharif additionally talked about that there was numerous opposition to nominate a 3rd get together to research the venture. ‘It was stated to depart the top. It’ll take a very long time. WAPDA has specialists. Get them to do it. Is it a matter that the individuals who allowed every part to go on must be (investigated)?’
On this event, the Prime Minister additionally talked about the formation of a cupboard committee which can decide the responsibles within the context of the ultimate report together with specialists.
Nevertheless, a month has handed and the ultimate report remains to be awaited.
How lengthy will the Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Challenge be restored?
Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Challenge is a hydroelectric venture underneath tunnel expertise at Nauseri, 42 km from Muzaffarabad.
By passing the river water by the tunnels, the era of electrical energy is made attainable by generators.
After the failure within the venture, the method of releasing water from these tunnels is happening. Officers related to the venture stated on situation of anonymity that the discharge of water remains to be a number of weeks away. After which the fault will probably be decided and the restoration course of will start.
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2024-06-21 04:17:45