Altaf Hamid Rao,
MIRPUR (AJK): The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Monday signed a contract worth Rs.1.68 billion with China CMAC Engineering Company for Package-9 of Mangla Refurbishment Project, official sources said.
“The Package includes up-gradation of Mangla switch-yard”, WAPDA sources told this Correspondent on Monday.
The sources continued that the contract signing ceremony was held today at WAPDA House. WAPDA General Manager (Hydel) Development and Member (Power) Engineer Muhammad Arshad Chaudhry and China CMAC Engineering Company Business Manager Ms. Liang Xiaofang signed the agreement on behalf of their organisations. WAPDA senior officers, representatives of the Consultants, and the Contractors were also present on the occasion.
WAPDA is implementing Mangla Refurbishment Project with an approved PC-I cost of Rs.52.224 billion. The project, on its completion, will enhance generation capacity of the existing Mangla Hydel Power Station from 1000 megawatt (MW) to 1310 MW, thus registering an increase of 310 MW. The refurbishment works have been divided into 11 different packages. Prior to signing of Package-9 today, as many as five other packages have already been awarded and the works are in progress on these packages.
Mangla Refurbishment Project will be implemented in various phases, wherein the generating units will be refurbished by closing down one tunnel (two generating units) at a time. Refurbishment of the first two units will be completed in year 2019, while refurbishment of all 10 generating units is likely to be accomplished by year 2024.
It may be mentioned that the USAID is providing US$150 million as grant and AFD is providing Euro 90 million as loan for Mangla Refurbishment Project, while rest of the amount is being arranged by WAPDA through loans and from its own resources.
