Power production: AJK govt starts work on an integrated plan

Under plan, AJK govt will tap hydel resources across region to produce over 20,000MW of electricity, say sources.

MIRPUR:

The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government is working on an integrated plan to make the region self-sufficient in power production.

Under the ambitious plan, the AJK government will tap hydel resources across the region to produce over 20,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity, official sources said.

The phased plan entails fully-exploiting hydel resources with the help of the private sector to meet the 400 MW consumption needs of the region, besides assisting Pakistan in meeting its energy needs, the sources said.

Elaborating on the plan, sources said that hydel power generation stations with production capacity of at least two to six MW would be established at selected sites with the cooperation of the Private Power Production Board. The 135 MW hydel power project in Rajdadhani and 5 MW hydel power project in Jari Kass, both under the supervision of the AJK Hydro Electric Board, will soon be launched.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 14^th, 2014.