Report by Engineering Post
The 969-MW Neelum Jhelum Hydropower project, located both above and under- ground near Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir has been shut yet another time for more than two months and possibility of its remaining off for longer period of 18 to 24 months cannot be ruled out at all.
Though the exact cause has not been identified for another longer shutdown of this major power producer, but it was indicated that the problem could be the decline in headrace tunnel (HRT) and dewatering of a 17 kilometer section.
Despite its capacity of 969 MW, the project has been contributing more than 1040 MW providing over 5 billion units of electricity annually to the national grid.
The Neelum -Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHPP) shutdown causes direct losses of about Rs 55 billion annually besides indirect impacts owing to the costly replacement fuel ranging between Rs 99 billion to Rs 150 billion.
It is pertinent to mention that the Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project has been constructed in a weak geological and seismic-prone area. Decrease in head race tunnel pressure had led to suspension of electricity from the project in May 2024.
Prior to its suspension, the project provided more than 20 billion units of clean and green electricity to the national grid since 2018.
