Wapda: Hydropower contributes 31% to total production

LAHORE:

The share of hydropower in total electricity production stood at 31% in previous fiscal year 2011-12, which contributed 28.2 billion units of low-cost electricity to the national grid and kept average power tariff at a low level, says a spokesperson for the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda).

The remaining 69% of electricity was generated mainly through gas, residual furnace oil and high-speed diesel (HSD).

According to the spokesperson, average purchase rate of hydropower for the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) was only Rs1.41 per unit compared with average purchase rate of Rs5 to Rs8 per unit for gas-based, Rs13 to Rs18 per unit for furnace oil-based and Rs18 to Rs22 per unit for diesel-based electricity.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 3^rd, 2012.