K-P, Chinese firm sign MoU to generate 610MW electricity

Khattak describes Wapda’s loadshedding policy as unjust

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Friday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Sinohydro, the Chinese company executing Tarbela Dam’s fourth extension project, for two combined hydropower projects to produce 610MW of electricity.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by K-P Chief Minister Pervez Khattak who took the occasion to caution the federal government to end unjust power outages across the province.



“We will go to court if the unjust electricity loadshedding is not stopped,” warned the chief minister after signing of the MoU at the CM House.

The chief minister described Wapda’s policy of more loadshedding in high-loss areas as unjust, saying “Those consumers who have been paying the bills have been facing the brunt of heavy loadshedding.”

“It is not the duty of consumers but of Wapda to stop electricity theft,” said Khattak, adding, “We have given them the police force and ready to provide them all-out help in stopping electricity theft but those consumers, who pay their bills, should not be victimised.”

Khattak said the MoU was part of 1,900MW that was going to be generated in the province under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

“The K-P government is working on generating 4,747MW electricity through building 750 small hydro projects on rivers and streams.”

Khattak said through an advertisement private companies were also invited to invest in 668MW electricity generation out of which 150MW projects had been allotted while the remaining projects would be allotted within the next three months.

The chief minister added that the K-P government had finalised an agreement with the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to produce 506MW electricity in Chitral.

“Work on 50MW solar power generation plant in Hattar, Haripur will soon be started by a Canadian company,” he informed the media. However, the chief minister did not give any timeframe for the completion of these projects.

Bus Rapid Transit system

Talking about the Bus Rapid Transit system, the chief minister claimed that this was the project of international standard that would benefit thousands of people.

“There is a big difference between K-P and Punjab’s transit system,” said the chief minister, adding “They [the Punjab authorities] have made just a strait road without connecting it with others parts of the city.”

The chief minister said RBT is 28km long while 50Km of connecting roads will be constructed that will connect the whole city.



Talking about the structure of the BRT, Khattak said along with BRT, Parking plazas and commercial areas would also be built that would generate profit for the BRT.

The chief minister said the ground-breaking ceremony of the BRT will be held on August 1. “The BRT is five time better, feasible, and profitable than other transit systems of the country,” claimed Khattak.