Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has announced the formation of a committee to urgently investigate the recurring technical issues at the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, which have repeatedly halted its power generation capabilities.
According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, during a visit to the project site in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister was briefed about the latest technical fault that occurred last month. The 969-megawatt facility first experienced a shutdown in 2022 due to a fault in the head race tunnel and, after a year-long hiatus, resumed operations in September, only to face another shutdown in April this year due to similar issues.
Prime Minister Sharif expressed his dissatisfaction with the delayed findings from the initial inquiry into the recent faults. He has directed that the new inquiry be conducted by third-party experts, explicitly excluding the project’s original designers or contractors, to ensure impartiality and thoroughness. Additionally, he instructed the Water and Power Development Authority and the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project Company to expedite the repair works and restore power generation at the earliest possible time. The Prime Minister also acknowledged the efforts of the WAPDA chairman and his team for their previous work in repairing the fault and resuming operations last year.