Islamabad:

Restoration work at Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHPC) would take two years to complete, water resources told Muhammad Moeen to the National Assembly on Friday as a committee investigating the questions

expected to end his report soon.

In a speech during the question, the minister said that the main contract for the execution of the repair work on the project – which was closed in May 2024 – had not yet been awarded in accordance with the government’s instructions.

So far, RS6.6 billion was used to repair the project’s Tail Race Tunnel (TRT). After TRT was fixed, the plant resumed full operations in March 2024 and generated 969 megawatt electricity. However, the plant had to be closed again two months later due to problems in Head Race Tunnel (HRT), “he said.

He said the project is currently working on a preliminary duty on a ‘take-and-pay’ basis. There are no fixed payments or returns on investments. The company manages its expenses through its own resources and pending payments from power sales to the central power purchase agency (CPPA-G). “

According to the National Power Control Center (NPCC), the minister said, the country has enough power production to meet demand and there is no burden due to lack. He added that local electricity supply had not been affected by the shutdown.

The Minister informed Parliament that the project’s consultants had been told to review and improve maintenance procedures to avoid such problems in the future. He emphasized the importance of operating and maintaining the plant in accordance with the equipment’s manufacturer’s guidelines to prevent unexpected closures.