K-P board approves five hydel projects

Approves feasibility studies of 3 raw sites costing Rs1.5b

PESHAWAR: The K-P hydropower development fund (HDF) board has approved five prioritised projects under the K-P Power Development Programme to be executed by the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (Pedo).

The HDF board held its meeting Wednesday evening under the chairmanship of K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and approved the projects. The running finance for the projects during FY2016-17 is estimated at Rs12.8 billion.



The PTI-led provincial government had inherited around Rs30 billion in the fund that aims at developing small hydel power generation units in the provincial public sector.

However, the incumbent government had secretly amended the law through an ordinance, promulgated in April 2016, under which the government removed the bar on using the fund. After the amendment, the K-P government had withdrawn Rs15 billion from the HDF to overcome its financial crisis in the last fiscal year.

Officials present in the meeting said the fund is meant to exclusively cater to the needs of the hydropower sector in the province as envisaged under the HDF Act 2006.

“The finance department has returned that money to the HDF,” said the official, adding that the ordinance promulgated in April has expired and the law is in its original shape.



The approved hydropower projects are: Jabori, Mansehra (10.2MW), Koto, Dir (40.8MW), Lawi, Chitral (69MW), Matiltan, Swat (84MW) and Daral Khwar (69MW).

In addition, the board also approved feasibility studies of three raw sites -- including Kari Mushkar (446MW), Tor Camp Godobar (409MW) and Gabral Kalam (110MW).

The feasibility studies of these projects would cost an estimated Rs1.2 billion. The construction of 356 mini-micro hydropower projects in northern districts of K-P would also be financed from Rs12.8 billion during the current fiscal year.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2016.