Bhasha will repay its $14 billion cost in around seven years
ISLAMABAD: This refers to the letter “Power crisis” in this newspaper on September 17. Every now and then, there are suggestions to maximise power generation from coal and examples of some other countries with large coal-based generation are given. What is not realised is that firstly, countries like the USA and others with hydroelectric resources exhausted those before they adopted coal. Secondly, because of pollution leading to climate change, these countries are cutting back on coal generation. Several large coal-based projects in the USA have been abandoned and large coal-producing companies have gone bankrupt. Thirdly, it would be an extremely unwise step for Pakistan to ignore its hydroelectric potential of 100,000 megawatts (MW), cheap and indigenous, with 12 very large non-controversial hydel projects out of 86, stemming out of Wapda’s Vision 2025 programme, capable of producing 65,000 MW of power and 53.61 MAF water storage. It has to be emphasised that Pakistan not only needs electricity but, equally importantly, water storage for agriculture, since there are shortages already. Another most important need is the creation of employment. Hydel projects will create hundreds of thousands of jobs.
Instead of spending $38 billion mostly on exorbitantly high-priced thermal projects out of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (costing two to three times what they should with power from coal at Rs12.50 per kWh — in other words, more than four to five times hydel power), it is imperative that Pakistan embark urgently on the hydel projects mentioned above. If the country is to develop economically, we need to add 50,000 MW in the next 15 years. That is why the construction of Diamer-Bhasha, 4,500 MW and 8.1 MAF water storage, together with adding 30-40 years to the life of our biggest dam, Tarbela, must not be delayed any further. Each year’s delay in the construction of Bhasha Dam is costing the economy three billion dollars. Bhasha will repay its $14 billion cost in around seven years.
Imtaz Ali Qazilbash, Former Chairman, Planning Commission, Hydro Power and Alternate Energy Working Group,
Published in The Express Tribune, September 22nd, 2016.
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