Billed to the unit: 12 districts to receive uninterrupted, cheap power by 2017

MANSEHRA:

The residents of remote areas of 12 districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa will receive cheap and uninterrupted electricity through a local generation and distribution system as 356 micro hydropower projects (MHPP) will be completed in 2017.

This was stated by Fazale Rabi, an official of Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO), while talking to the media on Sunday. He said two of nine micro hydropower projects have started generating electricity in Battagram district – 175KW project in Rashang village and 75KW in project in Pitaow village. These projects were to be inaugurated by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairperson Imran Khan on January 17, however, were delayed as the leader’s trip was cancelled due to inclement weather. They were inaugurated a day later by PEDO CEO Akbar Ayub and have commenced operation.

Acquiring targets

The micro hydropower projects in Rashang and Pitaow villages will provide an uninterrupted supply of electricity to over 500 consumers at Rs3 per unit cost.

With seven other projects near completion in Battagram, the K-P government’s target of supplying uninterrupted and cheap power to the residents of remote areas of the province looks achievable. All nine projects are expected to be completed and begin functioning from 2017.

According to Rabi, all nine projects will contribute about 34,693KW electricity to K-P; this can be increased in the future depending on the requirement of the area.

Responding to a question, Rabi said the electricity generated from these micro hydro projects will not be transmitted to national grid for further distribution. “It will be supplied to the residents of surrounding areas through a local distribution mechanism, guaranteeing faster and more efficient provision,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 25^th,  2016.