DHA Cogeneration Plant not a dependable source anymore’

[LahoreEstate]

Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Karachi

The water requirements of Defence Housing Authority (DHA) are expected to double or even treble over the next couple of years, while the DHA Cogeneration Plant (COGEN) is no longer a dependable source to provide smooth supply of water to Defence residents, said Asad H. Kizilbash, Honorary General Secretary of the Defence Society Residents Association (DSRA) and Association of Defence Residents (ADR) on Tuesday.

“I fear a drought-like situation in Defence in a few years, as massive construction is taking place that necessitates a sizeable water supply,” said Kizilbash. “I have serious doubts about the technical workability of COGEN, as reports given by COGEN’s foreign officials show that COGEN systems have 25 per cent failure rates across the world,” he added. He further said that the plant is still shut down, and is financial arrangements are being awaited to import parts needed.

He also said that DHA is fast constructing houses on vacant plots between Phases I to VI. along with Phase VI and VIII, and this construction would greatly increase water requirements. The minimum water requirement of DHA is 12 million gallons per day (MGD), while the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) is supposed to provide 9 million gallons on a daily basis. However the KWSB only provides 7 to 8 MGD water to Defence, he said. COGEN was supposed to provide 3 MGD water, but it is closed now. As a result, DHA is facing a shortage of 4 to 5 MGD water everyday, he pointed out.

DHA wanted to install another COGEN plant, and the authority has probably ordered buying its engine as well. However, they are facing certain legal problems and questions are being raised regarding its efficiency, which is causing delays, he said.

“Instead of depending on one or two COGENs, I have recommended that a direct water pipeline should be taken from Pipri to Defence, because it would be a more dependable source,” he emphasised. There are flaws in DHA distribution system and Defence residents’ representatives are holding meeting with Cantonment to analyze the defects of distribution system, Kizilbash said.

He pointed out that efforts are being made for an alternate of water source, as it is understood that the intake arrangement consists of a 2 meter diameter open pipeline which is suspended 5 meters above the sea bed at a distance of 26 meters. According to COGEN officials, silting due to beachfront development and reclamation of land has reduced the depth of the intake source to only 3 meters from the original 5-meters, which is likely to create ongoing problems for the COGEN plant’s operations in the future, he added.

Technology is available to extend the length of the intake pipe to deeper levels to prevent any future problems, especially when another engine has been ordered to build another plant right next to the present plant to double its capacity. But due to lack of financing, the water intake arrangement is not likely to be improved, he added.

The most serious development, which might further delay the plant from operating, is the accusation of unethical transfer of ownership and breach of contract by the leading bank of their banking consortium, he said. Banks have further accused them of their inability to pay back their loans. UBL has sued them in the Sindh High Court and requested the court to appoint an Administrator, he added.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=163244