A spokesman for the Tarbela dam in Pakistan has categorically denied a news report saying that one of the tunnels has closed down or developed cracks. All five tunnels at Tarbela dam are working normally, it has been stated.
Tunnels 1-3, the spokesman said, have the capacity of generating 3478MW of hydroelectricity daily and are fully operational to meet 40% of the total countrywide demand for electricity.
He said there is also no complaint about the other two tunnels (4 and 5) which are meeting the irrigation requirements of the four provinces. The spokesman went on to explain that tunnels 4 and 5 are operated in accordance with the country’s irrigation water requirements. It was also denied that fire had broken out in the powerhouse in June, damaging one of the tunnels.
Tarbela, one of the world’s largest dams, is meant to meet the requirements of the Indus river irrigation system, and the spokesman added the dam is meeting 60% requirements of irrigation water in the country.
Ten units with a generating capacity of 175MW each and four units of 432MW, connected with tunnels 1-3, are supervised regularly, to ensure their smooth functioning.