| Duration: | February 26, 2014 – April 26, 2014 (Technical Due-Diligence Study) January, 2015 – June, 2015 (Updation of Feasibility Study) |
| Client: | Punjab Power Development Board (PPDB) Energy Department |
| Cost of Consultancy: | Rs. 49.3 Million approx |
Project Component:
Taunsa Hydropower Station would be built adjacent to the existing Taunsa Barrage on the Indus River, in Muzaffargarh, Punjab. The barrage is about 18.64 miles (30km) southeast of Taunsa town. It is 74.56 miles (120 km) from Multan, where there is an international airport. A wide network of road and railway lead to the project area. The nearest towns is Kot Addu, 6.21 miles (10 km) southeast of Taunsa Barrage on the left bank of the Indus River. Dera Ghazi Khan (D.G. Khan) is located some 37.28 miles (60 km) south of Taunsa Barrage, on the right bank of the Indus River. The project area is about 260.98 miles (420 km) to Lahore, 198.83 miles (320 km) to Faisalabad and 466.03miles (750 km) to Karachi.
The Government of Punjab has also planned and initiated several power projects to fill up the demand and supply gap. The establishment of Punjab Power Development Board (PPDB) in 1995 was a step forward to achieve this goal.
The Government of Punjab has expressed serious concern for the design and implementation of low head Taunsa Hydropower Project. The Punjab Power Development Board (PPDB) on behalf of Government of Punjab intends to develop the Taunsa Hydropower Project through private sponsors as Independent Power Producer (IPP).
The technical due diligence of Feasibility Study (2013) by China Three Gorges International and BIDR was assigned to NESPAK. Due diligence report was submitted by NESPAK in 2014 after independent technical assessment of Taunsa Hydropower Project based on the review of various project related documents and a site visit. In light of the due diligence results NESPAK was assigned the task to update the Feasibility Study carried out by TGI and BIDR in June 2013.
Taunsa Hydropower Project has been sited along right bank of Taunsa Barrage across Indus River. It is a run of the river, low head hydropower scheme envisaged to provide power to the national grid. The proposed project area is located on the Indus alluvial plain where the area opened up to form a large alluvial plain of Indus deposits containing sands and silts from thousands of years. Quaternary deposits mainly comprises manmade fill, Indus River alluvial deposits of clayey silt and silty sand. The plain is virtually flat, having an approximate general slope of 0.18 m per km towards the sea.
The highest monthly mean temperature of the project area is about 35.4 °C and the lowest monthly mean temperature is about 12.9 °C; the annual mean precipitation is about 8.3 in (210 mm); the mean annual wind speed range from ranges 0.4 knots to 6.8 knots and the mean annual relative humidity ranges from 22.7% to 88.6%.
During the updation of Feasibility Study, NESPAK carried out topographic survey, hydrological studies, geological and geotechnical site investigations, installed capacity optimization, electro-mechanical design, layout planning and hydraulic design, sedimentation and flood management studies, structural design, economic and financial analysis.
The main components of the scheme include a power channel consisting of headrace and tailrace, powerhouse, aqueducts, road and Railway Bridge. Hydraulic and structural engineering design has been carried out in accordance with the current engineering practices. The mechanical, electrical and control systems have also been designed for this scheme.
Main features of the proposed Taunsa Hydropower Project are given below:
| Barrage Design Discharge | 10,00,000 cusec (28,312 cumec) |
| Installed Capacity | 135 MW |
| Rated Discharge | 91,430 cusec (2,589 cumec) |
| Gross Head | 19.68 ft (6.0 m) |
| Rated Head | 19.03 ft (5.8 m) |
| Mean Annual Energy | 650.89 GWh |
| Turbine Type | 3 Blade Bulb Turbine |
| Turbine Units | 9 Units |
| Plant Factor | 53.94% |
| Runner Diameter | 23.11 ft (7.045m) |
| Turbine Speed | 73.2 rpm |