ISLAMABAD: Chairman WAPDA Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed (Retd) has ordered a departmental inquiry into the incident at the 1,530-megawatt Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project and directed the immediate implementation of remedial and preventive measures to address the situation and minimise any potential delay in the project’s completion.

The WAPDA chairman visited Tarbela on November 9 and 10 to assess the situation following the incident involving the project’s intake structure. Member (Water) WAPDA Asim Rauf Khan, senior WAPDA officials, representatives of the contractor and consultants accompanied him during the visit.

During his inspection, the chairman examined the intake structure, tunnel, powerhouse and other key components of the project. The consultants, contractor and WAPDA project management team briefed him on the prevailing situation, the possible implications of the incident and the measures taken so far.

Later, he chaired a meeting at the project office, where participants discussed the possible causes of the incident and reviewed the response strategy. The meeting also considered short-, medium- and long-term preventive measures, along with immediate actions required to manage the situation.

According to WAPDA, implementation of the immediate response measures has already commenced. The consultants, contractor and WAPDA teams were also unanimous in their assessment that, at present, there is no threat to the structural integrity of the main Tarbela Dam or any of its critical installations.

Chairman WAPDA 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 implement remedial measures without delay and finalise a contingency plan to minimise the impact on the overall project completion schedule.

In addition, he ordered a departmental inquiry to thoroughly investigate the incident and establish its causes.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Water Resources had sought an initial assessment report from WAPDA, which was submitted on November 10. Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, who has been closely monitoring the situation since the incident, was also personally briefed by the WAPDA chairman on the developments and response measures.

The 1,530MW 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). The project is an important addition to Pakistan’s hydropower infrastructure and is expected to strengthen the country’s electricity generation capacity.