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how power is lost in Pakistan's distribution lines

every Dam face this issue specifically during flooding lot of silt sat down on bottom reducing the capacity of the dam to store water best solution to increase the life span is that during winters when water already drops below shut the dame and remove the silt as much as you can but here in Pakistan we already facing electricity shortage can't afford to shut Dam for this purpose which further reducing its life spam and electricity production per year. Currently we have feasible option for Kalabagh but i believe chapter already closed now we have only one solution which is Nuclear plants quite cost effective in a long run but very dangerous also many fault lines run throughout Pakistan and we can't handle Chernobyl like accident. We should gradually reduce line loss by replacing old T & D and should focus on R & D and private sector.
Yes silting is a major problem for Tarbela. Dredging is not feasible as it is very expensive. If you suggest to open the floodgates and release silt from there (I am not sure Tarbela dam has this facility like the modern dams)? This will have problems downstream as the barrages will get fair share of this silt and their water storage capacity will be severely reduced.
 
Nice & detailed article. Thanks for sharing.

Hard to believe KESC have more line losses than Wapda.
 
Yes silting is a major problem for Tarbela. Dredging is not feasible as it is very expensive. If you suggest to open the floodgates and release silt from there (I am not sure Tarbela dam has this facility like the modern dams)? This will have problems downstream as the barrages will get fair share of this silt and their water storage capacity will be severely reduced.
If you build dredging technology and machines it will be very cost eefective even Bangladesh builds nice quality dredgers. Opening floodgates to reduce silt not a good idea and i will effect very little specially on cemented old silt.

BWDB-to-Expand-Its-Dredging-Fleet.jpg

Dredging in Dam
Dredging-in-Dams.jpg
 
If you build dredging technology and machines it will be very cost eefective even Bangladesh builds nice quality dredgers. Opening floodgates to reduce silt not a good idea and i will effect very little specially on cemented old silt.
Well average sediment is about 200 million tones per year plus the sedimentation of last 40 years! (maybe around 8000 million tones). This will be one big dredging operation and I am not sure if it is even feasible.
 
Well average sediment is about 200 million tones per year plus the sedimentation of last 40 years! (maybe around 8000 million tones). This will be one big dredging operation and I am not sure if it is even feasible.
Tarbela-IV Extension Project[edit]
In September 2013, Pakistan's Water and Power Development Authority signed a Rs. 26.053 billion contract with Chinese firm Sinohydro for executing civil works on the 1,410 MW Tarbela-IV Extension Project.[12] Work on the project will be completed in three & half years at an estimated cost of $928 million.[13] In June 2013, the World Bank had agreed to provide a $840 million loan for the project.[14]

The T4 project is being constructed at Tunnel 4 of the dam which was originally intended for irrigation, but was later taken up for power generation as country’s electricity demand increased.[9]

On completion, the project will increase the generation capacity of Tarbela Hydropower Station to 4,888 MW from the existing 3,478 MW after installation of three units of 1,410 MW on Tunnel No 4.[12][15] and add about 3.84 billion units cheap electricity to Pakistan's national grid per year. Annual benefits of the project were estimated at about Rs. 30.7 billion.[13]

Tarbela-V Extension Project[edit]
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ordered WAPDA to take up the feasibility study of Tarbela- V Extension Project that would generate additional 1,320 MW electricity and increase the capacity to 6,208 MW. Austrian Government has shown its keen interest to finance the Tarbela-V extension project. Prime Minister also instructed Wapda that Tarbela-IV and Tarbela-V Extension Project be carried out simultaneously.

The original T4 project was estimated to cost $928m, but the project authorities had been able to conclude the project contract at $651m. Since the project cost was much lower than estimates finalised in consultation with the World Bank ($840m), the bank not only approved $51m acceleration programme, but also agreed to divert about $150m, saving another 1,400MW for Tarbela 5th Extension project which is expected to be completed by June 2018.[9]
 
I think Indians people are not too much innovative i am quite sure if such system adopted In Pakistan with in a week time people would find the way to do what they want. Quite simple system but workable prone to many issues.
Then , you are not hear about U.P., Bihar who are are very innovative in corrupt practices.
But due to digital measure 5 houses whom connected to transformers would protest any tempering as Electricity supply would cut.

Currently we have left no other choice but nuclear power plants which is quite cheap in long term but comes with very hazardous issues like nuclear waste management, security of the plant and the material and the most importantly disasters. Sometimes i feel very sad they just scrap Kalabagh dam for nothing just over solvable political issue.

Who says Nuclear energy is cheap ?
Its cheap due to hidden subsidies of Governments.
Cheapest source of electricity is coal & Hydro.
 
Shut the Electricity in areas of theft and the problem will take care of itself.
Most of that type areas in Karachi MQM supporters and PPP supporters Govt should take action but they are afraid of political backlash from supporting political parties. Some areas in KPK also used this practice.
 

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