LAHORE: The 969MW Neelum-Jhelum Hydel Power Station will stop electricity generation from Jan 10 for inspection of its 3.5-km-long tailrace tunnel during the current low-flow season.

The low water flows in the rivers, according to the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), are considered to be ideal for the inspection of hydel power stations.

The Neelum-Jhelum power station generates 90MW on average in Janu­ary. Therefore, the maintenance closure will impact only 90MW hydel share to the national grid.

“Since the resumption of its power generation in August after the restoration of its tailrace tunnel, the power plant has contributed 1.1 billion low-cost and environment-friendly electricity units to the national grid,” an official source told Dawn.

“All four units continue to be operational since August to date. And from Jan 10, they will stop generation due to tailrace tunnel inspection,” the official added.

The project, after remaining inoperative for more than a year, resumed generation during the second week of August 2023 after restoration of its tailrace tunnel. The project envisages diverting the Neelum River from Nauseri village through a 51.7km underground tunnel system — a 48.2km headrace tunnel and a 3.5km tailrace tunnel — with its outfall into the Jhelum River near Zaminabad village.

It, comprising four units of 242.25MW capacity each, started generation after its first unit was commissioned in April 2018. The project attained its maximum installed generation in August the same year with the commissioning of all four units. However, the power generation stopped in July 2023 due to a blockage caused by the collapse of a part of its tailrace tunnel.

Water level in dams

Meanwhile, the present level of water in Terbela reservoir was recorded on Friday as 1,478.91 feet with live storage of 2.212 MAF (million acre-feet). Similarly, the water level in Mangla dam was gauged as 1,156.50 feet with live storage of 2.048 MAF.

In Chashma, the present level was recorded as 639.90 feet with live storage of 0.023 MAF. “The inflows and outflows of River Indus at Tarbela, Jinnah and Chashma and River Jhelum at Mangla have been reflected as mean flows of 24 hours, whereas the other flows have been gauged at 6.00am,” read a press release issued by Wapda on Friday.

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2024