ISLAMABAD, April 20: The Water and Power Development Authority has decided to build a 1,200 megawatt Kohala Hydropower Project on river Jhelum by June 2009.

Sources told Dawn on Thursday that electric power generated at low cost through the project would be fed to the national grid.

Wapda has prepared the project to ensure power supply to the national grid system in the March-June season when the big storages at Tarbela and Mangla deplete to their lowest level. Jhelum, an early rising river, is considered to be very feasible for the proposed project.

In the first stage, the project with a 600MW capacity will be developed, while in the second stage the capacity will be increased by 600MW.

Wapda officials have sought early approval of the Planning Commission and the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council to start on the project by July.

Initially, Rs545.732 million are being earmarked for the project.

The reach of Jhelum River from Hattian to Kohala is believed to be attractive for hydropower development with shortest tunnel length due to 90-degree bend in the river.

The water flow down to deeply cut valleys is contributed by rainfall and snow melt.

There was considerable hydropower generation potential on the river and its major tributaries like Kunhar, Neelum and Punch rivers needed systematic exploitation, the sources said.

Officials said that electricity needs in the country were mostly connected with the growth of power system and population.

According to latest forecast, a demand of 44,226MW is expected by 2020.

Currently, thermal plants produce most of the energy in low winter months. Wapda maintains that thermal generation is expensive and uncertain because of lack of assured fuel supply.