ISLAMABAD: The government has approved Rs23 billion in repairs for the compromised Headrace Tunnel (HRT) of the 969-megawatt Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHP), keeping it offline for an estimated eight more months.
At a recent meeting chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, international consultant James Stevenson outlined that a full reconstruction of the HRT would exceed Rs222 billion and take years. Instead, the targeted repairs will focus on the damaged section between kilometers 13 and 16, accessible via horizontal entry points (adits), using concrete lining as a viable, cost-effective solution.
Officials noted that the NJHP’s prolonged shutdown, which began in May 2023, could result in annual direct losses of over Rs55 billion and indirect fuel-based costs ranging from Rs90 billion to Rs150 billion. Previously, the NJHP generated 50 billion units of fuel-free energy each year, underscoring its importance to Pakistan’s power needs.
The project’s recent history includes structural challenges, with major cracks in its Tailrace Tunnel in July 2022, which took over a year and Rs6 billion to repair. The HRT’s issues arose shortly after achieving peak generation capacity in March 2023, causing a reduction to 400MW and prompting the current closure.
The Planning Minister urged expedited repair efforts and a comprehensive plan to ensure long-term stability. He also addressed land acquisition delays for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, directing the Chief Secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan to submit a land transfer report within a month.
Story by Khaleeq Kiani
