- Production to be increased to 1000MW with expected revenue of Rs55b annually: Secretary Energy
- Says 224MW cheap electricity generation continues from 10 energy projects, earning province Rs13b annually
- Terms 40km transmission line from Matiltan to Madin crucial to supply industrial sector, warning against any delay
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is accelerating its energy agenda using provincial resources, with multiple hydropower projects boosting electricity production and generating substantial revenue for the province. At present, 10 completed energy projects with a combined capacity of 224 MW are generating an annual income of Rs13 billion.
Looking ahead, the completion of seven ongoing energy projects over the next five years is expected to raise the province’s electricity generation capacity to 1,000 MW, which will provide cheap electricity and generate an annual income of Rs55 billion.
Secretary Energy and Power Nisar Ahmed shared these details while chairing a review meeting on the progress of seven key hydropower projects, attended by Additional Secretary Energy Anwar Khan Sherani, Chief Executive Engineer Anwarul Haq, Senior Chief Planning Officer Syed Zahar Shah, and other senior officials.
On the occasion, Chief Executive Engineer Anwarul Haq briefed the meeting, highlighting the completion last year of three major projects: 40.8 MW Koto Dir, 11.8 MW Karora Shangla, and 10.2 MW Jabori Mansehra, which brought PEDO’s total generation capacity to 224 MW.
Work is ongoing on seven additional 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, Kurram and 6.9 MW Mujahideen Power Project, Torghar.
Secretary Nisar Ahmed underscored the critical importance of the 40-kilometer, 132/220 KV transmission line from Matiltan to Madin, stressing that it must be completed within this year to enable the supply of cheap electricity to the industrial sector. He also instructed the project director to expedite work on the province’s largest project, the 300 MW Balakot hydropower plant.
Furthermore, the secretary directed PEDO authorities to ensure that all ongoing energy projects are integrated into the national grid upon completion. If national grid inclusion is not feasible, distribution licenses should be obtained immediately under a direct supply model to deliver electricity to the industrial sector at low rates.
He issued a strict warning to project directors to review the gap analysis of their projects, remove operational obstacles, finalize terms of reference, adhere to timelines, and complete all projects within the stipulated schedule, cautioning that any delay would be intolerable.
