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Ghazi Barotha HydroPower
With generation capacity of 1450 MW and an average energy output of 6600 GWh, Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project is located on the Indus river downstream of Tarbela Dam in District Attock (Punjab) 92.7 KM from Islamabad. The project was completed during the fiscal year 2003-2004. This is a major run of river and environmentally sustainable project designed to meet the acute shortage of peak power demand in the country. Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project holds the record for the biggest concrete lined channel in the world and is a large, renewable and emission free source of energy.
The Barrage
The Barrage is located 7 km downstream of Tarbela Dam and provides a pond which re-regulates the daily discharge from Tarbela by diverting the flow into the Power Channel. The principal features include 20 No. standard bays, 8 No. under sluices and 8 No. head regulator bays in addition to rim embankments, fuse plug and dividing island.
The Barrage can pass the design flood of 18,700 cumecs, equivalent to the flood of record, through the standard bays and under sluices at the normal pond level of El. 340 m. The fuse plug has been provided to pass the extreme flood up to the capacity of Tarbela’s spillway and tunnels equaling 46,200 cumecs.
Barrage | Metric Units | British Units |
Normal pond level | 340 m SPD | 1115.5 ft |
Max. (Survival) pond level | 341.5m SPD | 1120.4 ft |
Min Pond Storage level | 334.5 m SPD | 1097.4 ft |
Live storage capacity | 50 MCM | 40535.70 Acre ft |
Design flood discharge capacity | 18750 cumecs | 662,200 cusecs |
Survival flood capacity | 46,200 cumecs | 1,631,600 cusecs |
Standard Bays | 20 (18.3 x 8.3 m) | 8 (60 x 11.5 ft) |
Head regulator | 8 (18.3 x 7.5 m) | 8(60 x 25 ft) |
Power Channel
Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project holds the record for the biggest concrete lined channel in the world. The channel is 51.90 km long with a concrete lining and design flow of up to 1600 cumecs at a water depth of 9 m. It has a bottom width of 58.4 m.
The Power Channel has a nearly contour alignment with hills on the left side and the land naturally draining towards the Indus River on the right side. It intercepts fifty three nullahs (natural drains) of which twenty-seven major nullahs have been passed over the Power Channel by providing super passages.
In addition to the thirty four road bridges, there are 12 pedestrian crossings over the Power Channel while the main railway line joining Rawalpindi to Peshawar also crosses the power channel. This may be the last riveted bridge of its type, constructed in Pakistan.
Main Features:
Design flow | 1,600 cumecs |
Longitudinal slope | 1:9600 |
Length | 51,906 m |
Full supply depth | 9 m |
Bed width | 58.4 m |
Side slope | IV: 2H |
Lining thickness | 135 mm |
Power Complex
The Power Complex is located near the confluence of the Indus and Haro rivers. It comprises a forebay, a siphon spillway , two head ponds, a power in take structure, penstocks, a power house with five 290 MW each turbo generators and a tail race channel.
The two head ponds with a combined live storage capacity of approximately 25.5 million cubic meters is sufficient for daily requirement of 4 hours peak generation. In May and June, when there is reduced power generation from Tarbela and Mangla power houses, Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project provides peak production of 1450 MW.
No. of Generating Units | 5 |
Rated Capacity per Unit | 290 MW |
Total installed Capacity | 1450 MW |
Generation voltage | 18 KV |
Rated Head (Ft.) | 69 Meters |
Project Implementation of Ghazi Barotha HydroPower Project
Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project with a generation capacity of 1450 MW and an average energy output of 6600 GWh is a large, renewable and emission free source of energy towards WAPDA's vision 2025 goals.
The shortage of electrical power at affordable cost has long been identified as one of the main hurdles to the industrial and economic growth of Pakistan. The demand for electricity is growing rapidly and requires a considerable increase in the rate at which new generating capacity is introduced. Presently demand is met through a mix of thermal and hydroelectric plants.
The percentage of thermal power generation has continued to increase in recent years, with a noticeable impact on unit cost of generation. WAPDA has continually sought to maximize the country's capacity for Hydropower generation and reduce the dependence upon thermal power generation.
In the Feasibility Report, the time for Project implementation of Civil and M&E contracts was estimated as 63 months starting from 01 April 1993. With the approval of PC-1 of Preparatory works including land acquisition, relocation, resettlement, and construction of colonies and other infrastructure for Project were commenced in 1995.
The implementation of the Project ultimately came to fruition with the inauguration ceremony of the commissioning of Unit No.1 and Unit No.2 on 19 August 2003 by the President of Pakistan.
The work on the commissioning of other units continued and Unit no.5 was commissioned in April 2004. The construction of the North Head pond was completed in December 2004, thus completing the implementation of the Project works.