Chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed (Retd), visited the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project on November 9 and 10 to review the situation following an incident involving the project’s tunnel.
WAPDA Member (Water) Asim Rauf Khan, senior WAPDA officials, and representatives of the contractor and consultants were also present during the visit.
The chairman inspected the intake structure, tunnel, powerhouse and other key locations of the project. The consultants, contractor and WAPDA project management team briefed him on the situation and the measures taken so far.
Preventive Measures And Response Strategy Discussed
Later, the chairman presided over a meeting at the project office, where the possible causes of the incident were discussed in detail.
Participants reviewed short-, medium- and long-term preventive measures to deal with similar situations, along with a strategy to address the current issue. Immediate response measures were also finalised, and their implementation has begun.
According to the assessment jointly made by the consultants, contractor and WAPDA teams, there is currently no threat to the integrity of the main Tarbela Dam or any of its critical structures.
The chairman directed the consultants to submit a comprehensive report covering all aspects of the incident at the earliest. He also instructed the consultants, contractor and WAPDA project team to immediately implement remedial measures and finalise a contingency plan to minimise delays in the overall completion of the project.
He also ordered a departmental inquiry to thoroughly investigate the incident.
Water Resources Minister Briefed On Incident
The Ministry of Water Resources had also sought an initial assessment report from WAPDA, which was submitted on November 10.
Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Watto, who had been closely following the situation, was also briefed in person by the WAPDA chairman about the details of the incident.
The 1,530-megawatt Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project is being constructed on Tunnel No. 5 of Tarbela Dam with financial assistance from the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).