Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project May Restart by March 2028 After Tunnel Collapse
The Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project (NJHPP), which has been non-operational since a tunnel collapse on April 2, 2024, is tentatively scheduled to resume power generation by March 2028. This timeline was presented to the Senate Standing Committee on Water Resources by Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman retired Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed. Despite the significant disruption, Gen Saeed stated that the NJHPP had been a successful venture, recovering approximately 80% of its over Rs500 billion cost through the provision of cheaper electricity. Investigations into the tunnel failure are ongoing, with pre-existing reports noting the project's location in a seismic zone. The committee emphasized the need for a transparent and independent inquiry into both the tunnel collapse and the project's cost escalations, offering full support for accountability measures. Separately, Wapda reported a Rs23 billion loss on the Nai Gaj Dam project in Sindh due to a fake bank guarantee submitted by the original contractor in 2009, leading to contract termination and blacklisting, with the matter now before the Supreme Court. The committee also addressed the worsening water crisis, noting critically low groundwater levels in Punjab due to overexploitation and the lack of major dam construction since the Mangla and Tarbela dams over fifty years ago. Discussions included groundwater depletion in various Punjab districts, the drafting of a provincial groundwater law in Sindh, the absence of comprehensive groundwater assessment in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and exceeding extraction limits in Balochistan. The committee urged the adoption of international best practices for water conservation and efficient irrigation.
The prolonged outage of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project highlights systemic challenges in Pakistan's infrastructure development and water resource management. While the project's pre-existing location in a seismic zone and a tunnel collapse in April 2024 point to potential geotechnical and engineering oversight, the projected four-year restoration timeline suggests significant complexities in repair and safety validation. The reported Rs23 billion loss from the Nai Gaj Dam's fake bank guarantee underscores governance vulnerabilities within public procurement processes, necessitating robust due diligence and contractor vetting mechanisms. The broader context of Pakistan's severe water stress, exacerbated by over-extraction and a lack of new large-scale water storage, indicates a critical need for integrated national water strategy that balances energy generation, agricultural needs, and environmental sustainability. Future infrastructure planning must rigorously incorporate geological risks, enhance regulatory oversight, and prioritize resilient, long-term water management solutions to mitigate recurring crises and ensure national security.
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