Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the immediate formation of a committee to reactivate the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project. The directive was issued during a meeting at the PM House on Sunday to review the project’s progress.
During the meeting, it was detailed that on April 29, 2024, a pressure drop occurred in the right and left headrace tunnels of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, leading to reduced power generation. By May 2, 2024, power generation had completely halted.
A preliminary investigation report presented by former Federal Interior Secretary Shahid Khan, head of the investigation committee, highlighted that the closure of the project is causing significant financial losses to the national exchequer.
The fault was identified in a rock burst zone. It was revealed that during the PTI regime in 2021, an abnormal pressure drop in the headrace tunnel resulted in decreased power generation, but this issue was ignored and unreported. No repairs were made, leading to continued losses, which was termed as “criminal negligence.” The 2021 defects and the suspension of power generation in 2022 due to faults in the tailrace tunnel are included in the investigation report.
The meeting noted that geophysical and seismic factors were overlooked during construction, and adequate concrete lining of the headrace tunnel was not performed.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directed the committee to complete the investigation report promptly, identify those responsible for the defects, and take strict action against them. He expressed dismay at the project’s neglect, questioning why detailed geological surveys and third-party validation were not conducted.
The meeting included Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema, Information Minister Ata Ullah Tararr, Power Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Petroleum Minister Musadik Malik, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Jehanzeb Khan, Coordinator to PM Rana Ehsaan Afzal, Chairman WAPDA Lt. Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani, former Interior Secretary Shahid Khan, and other high officials.
