US Centcom commander, Ambassador visit Tarbela Dam Project

US Centcom commander, Ambassador visit Tarbela Dam Project

ISLAMABAD - United States Central Command (CentCom) Commander General Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr. accompanied by the US Ambassador to Pakistan Paul Jones and others Saturday visited Tarbela Dam Project.

During the visit, he had a round of various components of the project including the Main Dam, Spillways, the Reservoir and the Power House, said a press release.

Welcoming the US delegation on the project, WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) said that Tarbela Dam has been playing a vital role for economic stability and social development of Pakistan since its completion in 1974 by providing water for agriculture, mitigating floods, and injecting a sizeable quantum of low-cost and environment-friendly hydel electricity to the National Grid.

Despite being in the fifth decade of its life, Tarbela Reservoir can still store more than 6 million acre feet (MAF) of water.

At present, generation capacity of Tarbela Hydel Power Station stands at 4888 MW with completion of its 4th Extension last year.

In view of the successful completion of 4th Extension within stipulated cost and time, the Federal Government has decided to implement Tarbela 5th Extension Project on fast track basis.

The 5th Extension will add another 1410 MW to the generation capacity of Tarbela Hydel Power Station, he further said.