ISLAMABAD: The consultants of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) have suggested constructing a new underground hydropower station of 375 mega watt (MW) at Warsak as replacement for the existing power house of 243 MW.

Till commissioning of the new power station, the existing power house will also continue to operate, wherein only the most-required rehabilitation works will be carried out.

The consultants, comprising a Canadian and a Pakistan firm, have been tasked to the review of the dam, spillway and detailed engineering design of the new Warsak Power Station by the end of 2012, which will be followed by initiation of construction work on the project.

The proposed 375-MW Warsak Hydropower Project is a component of the two-pronged strategy being implemented by WAPDA on priority for optimal utilisation of the water resource to inject low-cost electricity to the National Grid. Under the strategy, WAPDA is, on one hand, constructing new hydropower projects, and on the other hand, rehabilitating and upgrading its old hydel power stations.

Currently, up-gradation of Jabban and Tarbela is underway, while feasibility study for rehabilitation / up-gradation of Mangla Power Station has also been completed, which recommends that generation capacity of Mangla could be increased to 1310 MW from the existing 1000 MW.

It is pertinent to mention that the existing Warsak Hydel Power Station is located on the River Kabul at 30 kilometers from Peshawar.

The project was completed in two phases. In the first phase four units having cumulative generation capacity of 160 MW were installed in 1960, while in the second phase, two more units of 83 MW were added in 1981, raising the capacity of the power station to 243 MW.

After completing about 50 years, the generating units of the power house have deteriorated despite extensive repair and maintenance due to heavy sediments in the water of River Kabul. APP