ISLAMABAD, Aug 22: The Wapda chairman, Lt-Gen Zulfiqar Ali Khan (retired), has said Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project will start full production of 1450mw by July next year.

It is the biggest hydro-power project in the country after Tarbela which will generate power at the cost of 55 paisas per unit, the Wapda chairman said.

He said the project would extend substantial support to the country’s economy with ultimate benefit of the common man.

The project has five power generating units of which two have been made functional, he said and added that the remaining three units would be made operative by July 2004.

He said a particular feature of the project is that it had the potential of generating 1,450mw power throughout the year.

Normally, he said, the power generating capability of the hydropower project was affected during winter when the flow of water in rivers reduced. But, due to its specific designing the Ghazi Barotha project will not face such a situation, he maintained.

He said the Ghazi Barotha project had the world’s biggest power channel of 56,000 cusec feet which was nine feet deep and 20 feet wide.

Feeling the need for construction of more hydropower projects in the country, he said the present government was committed to fully utilizing the available potential in this regard.

He said physical work on the construction of Bhasha dam would start by 2006 which was another mega hydropower project with a capacity of 3,700mw electricity.—APP