TARBELA: Prime Minister Imran Khan Thursday performed the groundbreaking of $807 mln Tarbela 5th extension Hydropower Project (T-5), under the government’s ‘Decade of Dams 2018-28’ vision.
World Bank (WB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) are providing $390 million and $300 million, respectively, for the project to be completed by 2024.
The prime minister on the occasion was given a detailed briefing on the project by Chairman Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Lt. Gen. (r) Muzamil Hussain.
During the briefing, it was informed that the T-5 Hydro-power Project will enhance the life of Tarbela Dam by addressing the issue of sedimentation and ensuring sustainable irrigation releases.
The prime minister was told that the project will generate another 1530 MW of low cost and environmental friendly electricity. With completion of T-5, installed capacity of Tarbela Dam will increase from 4888 MW to 6418 MW.
Prime Minister was informed that T-5 will provide 1.347 billion units of low-cost and green energy to the National Grid on the average every year. The Project will also generate around 3000 employment opportunities during the construction phase.
PM while speaking on the occasion pointed out that due to climate change countries like Turkey and Italy suffered from unprecedented wildfire. He advocated use of water, air and sun to produce clean power and said we should use minimum amount of fuel to generate electricity. He lamented that the former leadership only thought of a period from election to election. Pointing towards Dasu and Bhasha dams he said: “It was decided to construct the Bhasha Dam in 1984…Why wasn’t the Bhasha Dam ever completed? Didn’t anybody have a vision for the country?”
He also planted a sapling of pine tree to mark the event. Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Federal Ministers Umar Ayub Khan, Ch. Moonis Ilahi, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib, Governor Kbyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Farman and Chief Minister Mehmood Khan were also present on the occasion.
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