Malakand III overhaul, cleaning complete
“Govt should allow the import of construction material on barter otherwise, builders will be forced to move investments,” said ABAD chairman. Photo: file
Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO) has successfully completed Overhauling work on the Malakand-III Power Complex to run the power plant in a more active manner which generates 81 megawatts cheap hydropower at provincial government level.
The overhauling has made the infrastructure more efficient for power generation, which has increased the production on the one hand, and on the other, the income of the province will also increase significantly due to higher power production.
This was stated by Chief Executive PEDO Engr Naeem Khan while visiting the Malakand-III Power Complex to inaugurate the third unit of 27 MW on completion of overhauling work.
He was briefed about the silting of stones and gravel coming with the water and informed that the three units of 27 megawatts power plant were affected by the devastating floods in the Swat river in the past.
In a short period of 50 days, PEDO’s team of experts and engineers has freshened up the forebay, pan stock, power channel and other parts of the power plant for power generation, which has improved the total output of the power plant by 81 MW.
In this regard, CEO Naeem Khan appreciated the excellent performance of Engr Amin Khalil and all his team members and expressed that Malakand III power plant is a valuable asset of the province, from which the province is getting more than Rs2 billion annually.
He said that after the establishment of the power plant in 2008, the overhauling has been done for the first time, which has further improved the efficiency of the power plant.
Last year, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government planned to make the PEDO the highest earning organization in the province.
The plan, once implemented, will help generate a profit of Rs50 billion a year.
This was disclosed by then K-P Secretary Energy and Power Nisar Ahmad Khan, adding that the energy sector is very important in the province.
PEDO, the subsidiary of the department of energy, is a profitable organization of the province which has successfully implemented various hydropower projects at a cost of Rs9 billion and in return the province has earned a handsome profit of Rs32 billion so far.
Now the government plan to further develop PEDO, with the support of experts, to turn it into the highest income generating entity.
He expressed these views at a high-level briefing given at PEDO House after taking charge as secretary energy and power.
PEDO Chief Executive Engineer Naeem Khan said that currently 42 projects of transmission lines, hydro and solar power are under construction under the supervision of PEDO. So far seven hydropower projects have been successfully completed, which are generating a total of 161 MW of electricity.
He said that the province has been earning an annual income of more than Rs4 billion, while seven projects including 84 MW Matiltan Swat, 69 MW Lawi Chitral, 40.8 MW Koto Dir, 11.8 MW Krora Shangla, 10.2 MW Jabori Mansehra, 10.5 MW Chapri Charkhel Kuram and 6.5 MW Barandu Torgarh projects are rapidly progressing.
The work is in progress, from which a total of 232.8 megawatts of electricity will be generated, from which the province will have an annual income of more than Rs9 billion.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 3rd, 2023.