Back

ALLAI KHWAR HYDROPOWER PROJECT

PROJECT LOCATION

The Allai Khwar Hydel Development Project is located on a left bank tributary of the River Indus in the northern mountainous region of Pakistan. The project site is near Besham, a town located on the Karakoram Highway in the north of Mansehra District. The project site is not easily accessible all round the year, particularly during harsh seasons.

VARIATIONS DUE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS

GTZ / SHYDO prepared an inventory study between 1987-91 of the hydropower potential of a number of projects in various NWFP districts. At that time, the proposed development of the Allai Khwar catchment included a flow diversion from the adjacent Kuz Khwar to Allai Khwar. Kuz Khwar is one of the two main tributaries of the Chor Nala, which joins the Indus upstream of the Allai Khwar confluence with the river.

Following an Environmental Assessment Report and discussions between the Government of NWFP and KfW in June 1996, a decision was taken to abandon the original concept due to a dispute over land ownership in the Kuz valley between the peoples of the Kohistan and Allai areas.

Consequently, a draft conceptual report was prepared covering the Allai catchment only. This was completed in October 1996. The report explicated the study and evaluation of hydropower development possibilities within the Allai Khwar catchment. Special emphasis was given to an attractive scheme between a dam site on the Allai Khwar near the village of Telus and a powerhouse site on the left bank of the Indus, which could give a head up to 700 metres.

This was followed by a Feasibility Study by Lahmeyer International that was overseen by an independent panel of experts. The results of the environmental and social studies imposed certain constraints related to the submergence of the Telus village, as this was fraught with risk and socially unacceptable. Consequently, a run-of-the-river scheme with a small reservoir allowing daily power peaking was recommended.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Allai Khwar Hydroelectric Project will be a stand-alone initiative built by diverting the Allai Khwar flow to the Indus through a narrow ridge separating the rivers. The waterways length would be in the order of 3 - 3.6 km which would result in a favorable ratio between the waterways and the head. The project is also considered attractive due to its peaking power plant that would provide sufficient daily pondage volume. This means that better monthly/ seasonal storage could be provided.

The village of Telus and its facilities are located within the reservoir areas. Inundation of Telus and/ or its facilities may create substantial difficulties in project implementation if dam heights are exceeded beyond certain limits.

ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED

Initially five alternatives were considered for project construction. After the initial studies, two of them were excluded from further examination due to constraints related to geological storage and environment.

The three remaining alternatives were then studied in detail. The Run-of-River Option was considered acceptable but a model-testing study was required before the feasibility to ascertain satisfactory operation of the reservoir. The two other alternatives were at the same height but their full supply levels were at 1280 and 1255 metres above sea level (masl) respectively. A survey by Global Positioning System (GPS) found that Telus was located at an elevation of 1262 masl. The findings left only two feasible options for the project i.e. Run-of-River and at 1255 masl.

The option finally selected was run-of-the-river at a dam height of 712.5 metres, with full supply level of 1255 masl that had a catchment area of 302 km2 and discharge of 13.9 m3/s. The height of the dam was 150 metres and storage was 31.9 million m3.

CURRENT STATUS Sarhad Hydel Development Organization (SHYDO) completed the Feasibility Study of the Allai Khwar Hydropower Project with an installed capacity of 163 MW. KfW financed the study. Recently, the Ministry of Water and Power has directed SHYDO/ GTZ to optimize the plant capacity at about 121 MW.The PC-II for detailed engineering procedures and preparation of tender documents amounting to Rs 36.484 million with foreign exchange equivalent to Rs. 9.4 million has been approved.

International contractors have been short-listed for equipment. Moreover, the PC-1 has also been submitted to the Ministry of Water and Power. Construction of model is underway in Nandipur and testing will be started shortly.The government has also allocated Rs. 6.71 billion for the construction and supervision of the Allai Khwar project in the Ten Year Perspective Plan covering the period 2001-06.

1. Sarhad Hydel Development Organization - NWFP, "Allai Khwar Hydel Development Scheme Selection for Feasibilty - Steering Committee Meeting", Working Paper, May 1997.
2. Lahmeyer International and Knight Piesold, "Allai Khwar Hydel Development - Conceptual Study", for SHYDO, October 1996.
3. Lahmeyer International and Knight Piesold, "Allai Khwar Hydel Development - Inception Report", September 1995.
4. Sarhad Hydel Development Organization - NWFP, "Allai-IV Hydropower Project", Briefing Note, 1994.
5. Pakistan Water & Power Development Authority, "Annual Report 1999-2000", 2001.
6. Pakistan Water & Power Development Authority, "Monthly Progress Report for February 2002", Hydroelectric Planning Organization, March 2002.
7. Planning Commission, Govt of Pakistan (Sep 2001), "Ten Year Perspective Development Plan 2001-11& Three Year Development Programme 2001-04".