Technical Visit to Inspect the Blockage of Tailrace Tunnel in Neelum Jhelum Hydroelectric Project on October 17, 2022

Technical Visit to Inspect the Blockage of Tailrace Tunnel in Neelum Jhelum Hydroelectric Project on October 17, 2022

The Neelum Jhelum Hydroelectric Project (NJHEP) has a significant role in the electric power generation of Pakistan. The project is of colossal nature, of its kind and more than 90 percent is underground with a waterway system comprising 52km of tunnels. The Project has a maximum generating capacity of 969 MW and an annual output of 5150 GWh. The Project got malfunctioned on 06 July 2022 due to the blockage of its tailrace tunnel and resulting in the closure of the operations.

In the spirit of the MoU signed between WAPDA and GIK Institute, the department of Civil Engineering, GIK institute offered WAPDA to undertake a technical investigation on the blockage of the tunnel and suggest the remedial measures to make the project operational. A team of experts from Civil Engineering Department, GIK Institute visited NJHEP on October 17, 2022. During the visit a detail inspection keeping the probe of tailrace tunnel collapse and its rehabilitation was carried out and then the finding of the analysis was thoroughly deliberated with WAPDA’s technical team. Department of Civil Engineering submitted a report on the preliminary study of the tailrace tunnel blockage and assured WAPDA to provide specialized technical support to this project in future as well.