Tarbela Hydroelectric Power Station Rehabilitation Project

The project aims to repair and rehabilitate the Tarbela Hydroelectric Power Station, located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, with a focus on restoring the power station's generation capacity. The Tarbela Hydroelectric Power Station has a total installed capacity of 3,478 MW, powered by 14 generating units installed on three power and irrigation tunnels. However, over time, the installed capacity was reduced due to degraded equipment. The project seeks to upgrade three generator units, thereby restoring 128 MW of generation capacity and adding 561 gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy per year. This increased energy production is sufficient to supply electricity to 1.2 million individuals. The project's objectives include mitigating Pakistan's energy shortage by restoring 128 MW to the national grid through the rehabilitation of the power station. To achieve this, the project focuses on several key activities, including the modernization of three generators by replacing old windings, the installation of digital governors, a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, pumps, and essential spare parts. Additionally, the project provides training to plant engineers to ensure they can operate, maintain, and monitor the hydropower plants effectively. The project has achieved several key milestones, including the restoration of 128 MW of targeted capacity by upgrading equipment on three generators. A SCADA system has been installed to support the reliability of Tarbela's digital governors. The project has also successfully installed pumps, spare seals, and guides for relief and by-pass valves on turbines at Units 1-10. Furthermore, Tarbela engineers have been trained on operations, maintenance, and monitoring of hydropower plants. The project is also procuring rotor poles, which will be kept in spares for future use. The Tarbela Hydroelectric Power Station Rehabilitation Project is funded by USAID at a total cost of $16.5 million, with the project duration spanning from April 2010 to December 2015. However, due to a time extension request submitted by WAPDA/Tarbela, the project duration has been extended. The project's geographic focus is national, with a specific emphasis on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. The implementing partner for the project is the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).