Pakistan seeks design, supervision for 960-MW Tarbela 4th Extension

Pakistan’s Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) invites expressions of interest from consultants for detailed design, tender preparation, and construction supervision for the 960-MW Tarbela 4th Extension hydropower project. Responses are due March 24.

The extension project would add another powerhouse to the 3,478-MW Tarbela hydroelectric project on the Indus River. The new powerhouse would contain two 480-MW turbine-generators, Units 15 and 16, on the right bank of the Indus River, utilizing discharge from the existing Tunnel 4 of Tarbela Dam.

WAPDA previously took expressions of interest, in January, for detailed engineering design and tender documents for Tarbela 4th. (HydroWorld 12/31/08) The current solicitation appears to seek that work plus an additional assignment involving construction supervision. WAPDA also took expressions of interest March 2 for a sediment management study of the reservoir. (HydroWorld 2/18/09)

With major civil works already in place, Tarbela 4th Extension would have a net head of 320 feet, penstock diameter of 36 feet, and annual energy production of 1,900 to 2,000 gigawatt-hours. Pakistan awarded a letter of interest in 2007 to M/S Tarbela Hydro Ltd. and Associates to perform a feasibility study of Tarbela 4th Extension, which it estimated to cost US$500 million.

A credit from the World Bank’s Water Sector Capacity Building and Advisory Services Project (WCAP) is to fund the first phase of the work, 18 months of detailed design, bid document preparation, and studies of engineering, economic, financing, environmental, and social aspects of the project. After approval, the World Bank would finance the second phase, six years of construction supervision, contract management, and project management.

Expressions of interest are due to the address below by March 24. WAPDA plans to prepare a short list of firms to be invited to submit proposals.

For information, contact Muhammad Hanif, General Manager and Project Director, Tarbela Dam/Ghazi Barotha, WAPDA, Tarbela Dam Colony, Tehsil Ghazi District Haripur, Post Office Ghazi Post Code No. 22850, Pakistan; (92) 99-5660198; Fax: (92) 99-5660003; E-mail: [email protected]; Internet: www.wapda.gov.pk.