PESHAWAR: Energy and Power Secretary Nisar Ahmad Khan has said that after completion, the ongoing energy projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are expected to generate the annual income of more than Rs10 billion.

“The ongoing economic ups and downs and security uncertainty in the country are worrying. A plan of action has been drawn up to resolve the issues,” he said.

He expressed these views while presiding over a review meeting on the progress of the ongoing energy projects in the province.

Mr Khan said that timely completion of ongoing energy projects in the province was the first priority of the government. However, he said that economic issues in the country were proving to be a major obstacle to completion of energy projects, for which an integrated strategy was indispensable.

Work under way on six schemes in different districts

He said that department of energy’s subsidiary Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (Pedo) was a profitable enterprise that successfully completed various hydropower projects at a cost of Rs9 billion and brought an income of more than Rs32 billion to the province.

Pedo Chief Executive Engineer Naeem Khan told the meeting that work was currently under way on 42 energy projects of transmission line including hydro and solar power.

Several projects of Pedo have entered the final stages of completion. The projects are expected to generate more than Rs10 billion for the province.

The current security situation, closure of letters of credit and increase in taxes on import of machinery for Pedo’s hydropower and solar energy projects were matters of concern.

Pedo has successfully completed eight hydropower projects so far to generate a total of 172 megawatts of electricity. The province is getting an annual income of more than Rs4 billion from these projects.

Work on six projects including 84 megawatts Matiltan hydropower scheme in Swat, 69 megawatts Lawi scheme in Chitral, 40.8 megawatts Koto scheme in Dir, 11.8 megawatts Karora scheme in Shangla, 10.5 megawatts Chapri Charkhel scheme in Kuram and 6.5 megawatts Barando scheme in Torghar is going on rapidly. These projects will generate a total of 232.8 megawatts of electricity and an income of Rs10 billion for the province.

Similarly, 4,400 mosques, 8,000 schools, 187 primary health units are also being shifted to solar energy. The completed solar energy projects are saving millions of rupees annually in terms of electricity bills.

In the second phase, 291 mini micro-hydropower stations are also being constructed in the backward areas to generate 41 megawatts of cheap electricity.

Several energy projects have also been successfully completed in tribal districts. The transmission system has improved largely.

The secretary expressed his satisfaction with the overall performance of Pedo and said that issues with the federal government in some energy projects would be resolved on a priority basis.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2022