First private hydropower project starts working

New Bong Project will produce 84MW of cheap electricity.

LAHORE: The 84-megawatt New Bong Hydropower Project, first independent hydropower project of Pakistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir set up by Laraib Energy Limited, has started commercial operations.

Laraib Energy, a subsidiary of Hub Power Company (Hubco), successfully commissioned the project on March 23. It will contribute 540 gigawatt hours (GWh) of green energy annually to the national grid under a 25-year power purchase agreement with the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC).

Speaking on the occasion, Hubco CEO Zafar Iqbal Sobani said, “This project will provide cheaper electricity and energy security for the country. Other benefits of the run-of-the-river hydropower project include replacement of some 135,000 tons of oil imports valued in excess of $100 million per annum and reduction in carbon emissions.”

The project, which was scheduled to be completed in 42 months, got ready two months earlier, compared to three similar low-head hydropower projects on Ohio River (USA) with a total capacity of 191MW that started a year before New Bong but still have a year to start commercial operations.

He acknowledged the support of the governments of Pakistan and AJK, the Private Power Infrastructure Board, Wapda and NTDC.

The Asian Development Bank, Islamic Development Bank, International Finance Corporation, Proparco France and domestic commercial banks played a very active role in making the project a reality.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2013.

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