The New Bong Escape Hydropower Project is a privately owned 84 MW run-of-the-river project located on Jhelum River 7.5 km downstream of the 1,000 MW Mangla Dam, a major multi-purpose water storage project commissioned. It is about 120 km from Islamabad, the capital city ofPakistan. The Project commenced commercial operations on 23 March 2013 and has the distinction of being Pakistan and AJ&K’s first hydropower IPP. By developing a bankable framework this trendsetting project has paved the way for rapid and full scale development of Pakistan and AJ&K’s hydropower potential. The Project is jointly owned by Hubpower and Laraib Group with an equity split of 75% and 25% respectively. The Project has been developed under Build-Own-Operate-Transfer basis, whereby it would be transferred to the Government of AJ&K free of cost at the end of a 25-year term.
The construction of the Project started on December 29, 2009 under a fixed price, time certain EPC Contract executed with Sambu Construction Company Limited of South Korea in June 2009. The water to wire E&M equipment package has been supplied by a leading E&M supplier; Andritz Hydro under a subcontract with Sambu. Hyundai Engineering is the design subcontractor of the EPC Contractor. Construction of the Project was monitored by Owner’s Engineer consisting of joint venture of Montgomery Watson Harza and National Engineering Services of Pakistan while Mott MacDonald of UK are the Technical Advisors to the Financiers and were responsible for construction and environmental monitoring on their behalf.
Operation
The Project achieved commercial operation date on March 23, 2013 which was two months ahead of the required commercial operations date under the PPA. The Operation and Maintenance of the Project is being carried out by TNB REMACO Pakistan Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of which is ultimately owned by Tenaga Nasional Berhad, Malaysia. The Project insurances have been placed offshore with leading insurance companies through Marsh, who are the Insurance Advisor and Broker of Record for the Project.
Distribution
Other Concession Documents package includes the GOP Implementation Agreement with Government of Pakistan, AJ&K Implementation Agreement with AJ&K Entities, Water Use Agreement with Government of AJ&K and Land Lease Agreements with Government of AJ&K. Under its guarantee, Government of Pakistan has guaranteed the payment obligations of NTDC, Government of Pakistan and Government of AJ&K under the Concession Documents.
Hydrology and technical details
A concrete lined Head-race channel is used to convey the water from Bong Pond to Powerhouse. The Project does not involve the construction of a dam or reservoir nor does it affect the existing water management regimes. It withdraws water released from the existing Mangla Dam and returns that water to the main stem of the Jhelum River through a 7.5 km long tailrace constructed in a sub-channel of the River Jhelum. The Project does not affect upstream or downstream hydrology of the Jhelum River due to its run of the river nature and is having positive environmental and social impacts. Energy generated through the four 21 MW low head high efficiency Kaplan bulb turbines, housed in a semi submerged powerhouse complex, is evacuated through an in-out connecting arrangement with the double circuit 132 kVA Mangla/Kharian transmission line, which passes over the Project site. No right-of-way acquisition was needed since connection facility has been built within the Project site. The Project uses the water being discharged from the upstream existing hydropower plant located at Mangla Dam. The raising of Mangla Dam has been completed recently by the Pakistan’s Water and Power Development Authority, and will result in increase in the storage capacity of the Mangla Dam. The Mangla Dam Raise Project will provide better regulated water to the Project.
