5th Extension of Tarbela Hydropower Station is going on as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is financing the 5th extension project of Tarbela HydroPower Station.
In the 5th extension of Tarbela Hydropower Project, the Tunnel No. 5 of Tarbela Dam is being constructed, and it is likely to be completed in July 2025.
This extension will provide power generation capacity of 1530 Mega Watt (MW) of low-cost, renewable and environment-friendly hydel electricity to the national grid every year.
The overall installed capacity of Tarbela Hydropower Station will also increase from 4888 MW to 6418 MW after completion of Tarbela 5th Extension.
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1. Project Objective
The main objective of the 5th extension project is to get the sustainable energy and improve Pakistan’s electricity generation capacity providing at a low cost with clean, renewable energy option.
This extension will also add capacity of more than 1,410 Megawatt (MW), with annual electricity generation of over 1,800 Gigawatt-hours (GWh), specifically during the summer season when demand is at peak.
2. Project Description
The 5th extension project is financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and co-financed with World Bank (WB). This project will allow the installation and commissioning of additional power output from existing Tarbela hydropower dam.
The project will facilitate Pakistan in enhancing sustainable and low-cost energy generation capacity. Key implementation activities of the project include:
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- Construction of a power house and modification of existing tunnel (Tunnel 5) to house the power plant,
- Technical assistance to support environmental and social management plan, and dam safety monitoring surveillance program.
- Construction supervision and monitoring and evaluation consultancies,
- Power equipment and transmission line.
- Technical assistance to support PMU with project management, implementation support and studies, and capacity building.
3. Benefits of Hydropower
Hydropower, or hydroelectric power, is one of the oldest and largest sources of renewable energy, which uses the natural flow of moving water to generate electricity.
Hydropower currently accounts for 31.5% of total U.S. renewable electricity generation and about 6.3% of total U.S. electricity generation.
The 5th Extension of Tarbela Hydropower Station is also a case to improve capacity in renewable energy sources in Pakistan.
