PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is working rapidly on ongoing energy projects with its own resources. At present, 10 energy projects of 224 MW have been completed, from which the province is generating an annual income of Rs. 13 billion, while in the next five years, with the completion of another 7 ongoing energy projects.
The production capacity of cheap electricity will increase to 1000 MW, from which the province is expected to generate an annual income of Rs. 55 billion.
Moreover, working is also underway on three flagship energy projects in Swat district, which will start generating 387 MW of electricity in the next two years. Work has also been accelerated on laying a 40-kilometer transmission line on the Swat corridor, which will be completed in the second year, with the completion of which cheap electricity will be sold to the industrial sector of the province. These views were expressed by Secretary Energy and Power Nisar Ahmed while chairing a review meeting regarding the progress made on seven important ongoing hydropower projects. The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Energy Anwar Khan Sherani, Chief Executive Engineer Anwarul Haq, Senior Chief Planning Officer Syed Zahar Shah and other senior officials.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Engineer Anwarul Haq briefed the meeting and said that three major 63 MW hydropower projects of 40.8 MW Koto Dir, 11.8 MW Karora Shangla and 10.2 MW Jabori Mansehra were successfully completed last year, after which the total generation capacity of cheap electricity of PEDO has increased to 224 MW.
Similarly, work is underway on 7 projects including 300 MW Balakot Mansehra, 215 MW Madin Swat, 88 MW Gabral Kalam, 84 MW Matiltan Swat, 69 MW Lawi Chitral, 13.5 MW Chapri Charkhel Kuram and 6.9 MW Mujahideen Power Project Torghar.
On this occasion, the Secretary Energy & Power termed the upcoming 40 km long 132/220 KV transmission line project from Matiltan to Madin project as extremely important, he stressed on completing it within the time frame of this year and issued instructions to the concerned project director to further expedite the work on the province’s largest project, 300 MW Balakot.
Moreover, the Secretary Nisar Ahmad, while issuing instructions to the PEDO authorities, said that the ongoing energy projects should be included in the national grid after completion. If they are not included in the national grid, distribution licenses should be obtained immediately under the direct supply model for selling electricity to the industrial sector at cheap rates.
He strictly warned the project directors that they should review the Gap Analysis of the projects and remove all obstacles including operational gaps, completion of TORs, time-bounding and complete the projects within the stipulated timeline, otherwise any delay would be intolerable.
