MWH to Lead Hydroelectric Project in Pakistan
MWH, a global provider of environmental engineering, strategic consulting and construction services, announced June 9 that it was selected by the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority to provide engineering and construction management services for the Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project.
The Joint Venture, Neelum Jhelum Consultants, lead by MWH and consisting of MWH, Pakistani firms NESPAK, ACE, and NDC, and Norwegian firm NORPLAN, will provide design, construction drawing preparation, and construction management services for the next eight years. The project, expected to cost approximately $2.2 billion to build, will include a concrete gravity diversion dam, a headrace tunnel, a surge chamber, and an underground powerhouse that will have four turbine-generating units with a capacity of 963 megawatts (MW).
Located in the Muzaffarabad District in the state of Azad Jammu Kashmir, approximately 85 miles from Islamabad, the Neelum-Jhelum project is one of several major projects planned to increase Pakistan's hydroelectric generation capabilities to meet the growing energy needs of the country. The project is part of the Pakistani government's "Vision 2025 Program," to improve energy development. In addition, Neelum-Jhelum is a priority project in Pakistan's Indus Basic Water Treaty with India.