INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Authors: Jordan
Chinese contractor of Neelam-Jhelum project recalls disasters that pushed project to
brinkBEIJING: The recently inaugurated Neelam-Jhelum Hydropower project has experienced four major natural disasters during its construction
published on Wednesday, said each disaster had pushed the project to the brink of failure.He said in 2010, a major flood in 100 years
occurred in Pakistan, and facilities were destroyed in the entire tender area; in 2014, floods were re-emerged, and the stilling pools under
construction were submerged; in 2014, water was poured through tunnels in river sections; and in 2015, a tunnel boring machine encountered a
strong rock burst, resulting in buried equipment and extensive damage to parts.Faced with the catastrophic situation, Chinese builders
relied on their excellent skills and tenacious spirit, he added.Feng said every time they successfully rescued the project from the brink of
failure, especially after the extremely strong rock burst, Chinese technicians rapidly responded to the damaged equipment
The ground repairs were carried out and repair work was completed and excavation resumed in only seven months without affecting the quality
of the project.Had other foreign manufacturers been asked to replace all the damaged parts, only the parts procurement and shipping time
cycle would be up to one year, and the cost would be high, he added.Feng said it was the China Gezhouba Group, which was responsible for the
difficulty after another with decade-long technology, excellent skills, and unremitting persistence
the company strived to achieve excellence in the selection of all equipment.On the construction equipment, where the project site was
station, the generator set selected the domestic top-level products, providing continuous and stable power generation after the completion
of the power station.With Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi personally pressing the unit start button in the control room, the first
243,000 kilowatts unit of the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower plant was officially put into commercial operation.In his speech, the prime minister
cooperation between the two countries.Although, the total installed capacity of 969,000 kilowatts, the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower station was
of special significance to other power plants in Pakistan.According to the news portal, geographically, the power plant was located on the
upper stream of the Indus River, the Jhelum River
case of the unique design of the long water diversion tunnel and underground powerhouse built and constructed in Pakistan
The total length of the underground project is 68 kilometres, the maximum depth is close to two kilometres, and it passes through the large
fault zone in the Himalayas.It is these special features that allow Pakistanis to always have special feelings for the Neelum-Jhelum
had concluded in the past ten years
The spirit of the Neelum-Jhelum was based on this spirit
The builders had overcome challenges and difficulties one by one and stepped the project to success.With the Gezhouba Group further
deepening its efforts in the Pakistan hydropower sector, especially the construction of the Sukikinari and Dasu hydropower stations had been
help the Pakistani government and the people had built more great hydropower projects that benefit the country and the people
