As winter descends on Gilgit-Baltistan, the region is plunged into darkness, with power outages lasting up to 21 hours a day. For the half-million residents of Gilgit town, this means cold, dark homes, halted businesses, and unbearable hardships.
The situation becomes particularly dire from November to May, when frozen water sources disrupt hydropower generation, leaving communities to endure freezing temperatures without heat or light.
“It’s not the Shangri-La the world imagines,” says Akram Khan, a native of Gilgit now settled in England. “For locals, the region’s scenery and the abundant natural resources hold little value because successive governments have failed to utilise them effectively.”
Despite being home to abundant freshwater reservoirs and significant hydropower potential, Gilgit-Baltistan remains mired in an energy crisis.
According to official estimates, the region has the capacity to generate over 60 megawatts of power, yet many residents struggle to access even a fraction of this. Frequent protests erupt across the region during the peak winter months as frustrations boil over.
“We’ve been promised solutions time and again, but nothing ever changes,” laments Fatima, a mother of three in Gilgit town. Just last week, protestors blocked the main road in Gilgit for hours, demanding an end to the prolonged outages.
While government initiatives, such as the deployment of diesel generators at a cost of Rs2 billion in 2022, have fallen short—often amid allegations of corruption—community-driven projects offer a glimmer of hope.
Among these, micro-hydropower projects (MHPs) are emerging as a beacon for sustainable and reliable energy solutions.
A Tale of a Community-Based MHP
In the remote village of Borth in Ishkoman Valley, a story of resilience and transformation unfolds. Saeed Gull, a local resident, oversees a community-managed micro-hydropower plant that has brought light and hope to the valley.
“Before this project, winters were dark and cold,” Saeed recalls, adding, “Now, we have reliable electricity, even during the harshest months.”
The powerhouse, constructed in partnership with the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) and funded under the Central Asia Poverty Programme (CAPP), became operational in 2017.
The powerhouse, currently owned and operated by the community, provides uninterrupted electricity to over 300 households and six schools, with plans to extend its reach to 660 households across ten villages in the near future.
Just a kilometre away, the village of Badswat tells a starkly different story. Devastated by glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) driven by climate change, Badswat’s residents have lost homes, infrastructure, and livelihoods.
Unlike Borth, where electricity powers homes and provides much-needed warmth in winter, Badswat's community remains heavily dependent on firewood from surrounding forests to survive the freezing cold. This reliance adds to the environmental strain in an already fragile ecosystem.
Clean Energy Revolution
Since its inception in 1982, AKRSP has supported the construction of 169 micro and mini hydropower projects across remote areas in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral, with a combined functional capacity of 18.6 MW. These projects now supply clean, reliable energy to over 250,000 people.
“This isn’t just about electricity,” says Yasir Khan, an energy expert from the region, adding, “These projects reduce reliance on fossil fuels, curb deforestation, and mitigate climate impacts.”
He added that AKRSP won the Energy Globe and Ashden Award for its innovative rural electrification project in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral.
Energy Security in a Changing Climate
The energy crisis in Gilgit-Baltistan is further exacerbated by climate change, with the region’s 7,000 glaciers—the largest concentration outside the poles—melting at an alarming rate.
Micro-hydropower projects (MHPs) offer a sustainable solution, reducing reliance on forests for fuel and providing communities with clean electricity, which can help mitigate environmental strain.
Salaar Ali, head of the Department of Environmental Science at the University of Baltistan, emphasises the urgency of addressing the issue: “The loss of glaciers is a grave concern. We must adopt environmentally friendly measures to preserve these vital resources for future generations.”
Energy Plus: A Beacon of Hope
With funding from the European Union (EU), the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme has launched the Energy Plus programme to address these challenges and foster a climate-resilient, low-carbon economy and society in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral.
The €31 million initiative aims to benefit over 350,000 people by prioritising underserved communities with little or no access to reliable energy.
The programme aligns with Pakistan’s national priorities and commitments to international agreements such as the Paris Agreement, using a comprehensive strategy for energy access, climate change, and sustainable development through collaboration with communities, the private sector, and policymakers.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ