ISLAMABAD: As many as 7,092 villages will be electrified by the end of financial year 2016-17, compared to 6,046 villages during the outgoing fiscal year 2015-16, officials told APP on Wednesday.

"Power generation projects of 5,304MW capacity would help electrification of more villages this year and the demand and supply gap in the electricity is expected to narrow down," said officials.

The China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project is also expected to add up to 19,400MW to the national grid by 2018 in the Independent Power Producer (IPP) mode.

CPEC projects include coal, hydro and wind, the sources said adding that it would not only augment supplies in a major way, but also significantly change the energy mix by reducing the average cost of generation.

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The development of hydro resources is being actively pursued and about 9,551MW projects are at various stages of construction.

Work on 969MW Neelum-Jhelum power project is in advance stage of construction with 80.4 per cent physical work completed on the project. The first unit of 242MW capacity will start generation in July 2017 and other three units will start generation by the end of 2017.

Likewise, the first unit of Tarbela 4th extension will start generation of 470MW in 2016-17.

Other power generation projects are at various stages of construction, including 4,500MW Diamer Bhasha, 128MW Keyal Khwar, 106MW Golan Gol, 2,160 MW Dasu Hydropower Project, 34.5MW Harpo, 243MW 2nd Rehabilitation of Warsak Hydropower Station.

Similarly, 2,880MW nuclear power projects are at various stages of construction.

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The sources said that the pre-feasibility and feasibility studies of approximately 18,875MW hydro projects have been completed and the said projects are under various stages of approval while the required amount of money for these projects is being arranged.

These are 7,100MW Bunji Hydropower Project, 310MW Refurbishment and up-gradation of Mangla Generation Unit 1-6, 1,100 MW Kohala, 690 MW Shyok Dam, 665 MW Lower Plas Valley, 496 MW Lower Spat Gah, 40MW Basho, 2,300MW Pattan, 4000MW Thakot, 2,100MW Dasu Stage-II, 48MW Jagran, and 26MW Shagarthang.

In addition, almost a total of 4,020MW thermal projects in the public sector are under construction. These are 1320MW Coal fired Power Plant Jamshoro, while construction on two 2400MW LNG-based power plants at Haveli Bhadur Shah and Balloki have been started, and 300MW coal-fired Power Plant Gwadar is under active consideration.

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These plants are expected to be completed by 2018, sources added.