The new government has announced that the Diamer-Bhasha Project has the highest priority. Efforts should be made to start the construction of Bhasha and almost simultaneously Dasu 4320MW. Bhasha would also increase the life of Tarbela by 30-40 years. PHOTO: FILE
It really would be a cliché to say that the country requires more electrical power. For a long time, authorities have complained of shortage — the issue dragging on such that we feel that nothing can be done about it.
But there is a solution. To produce electricity, coal, wind, solar power can all be used. But given the magnitude of our requirements there is only one source — our hydroelectric potential of over 60,000 megawatts. Only by recognising this and pursuing the project, can there be abundant and affordable electricity.
As a member of the Planning Commission‘s Energy Working Group in 1990-1991, I identified 42 projects to produce over 40,000MW. I kept on striving for these hydroelectric projects at various seminars and conferences, and these were incorporated into a programme in the Water and Power Development Authority’s (Wapda) ‘Vision 2025’.
Wapda was established for the integrated and multi-purpose development of the water-power resource. Under Ghulam Faruque, I belonged to a small group of engineers that formed the nucleus of the organisation in 1958. It soon became Pakistan’s largest development organisation with world-class engineers. Projects were completed on time, within stipulated periods.
Role of hydroelectric resources
As early as 1975, it was realised that economic development needed to be accelerated with hydel development. In 1975, a national conference was organised in Lahore. This was chaired by the then Minister of Water and Power Yusaf Khattak with Wapda and concerned federal secretaries along with 200 engineers taking part.
In my keynote address, I emphasised on two issues. First, that since Tarbela was near completion, we should immediately undertake the process of constructing two major hydroelectric projects on the Indus and to take up the installed capacity to 12,000MW by 1982. Second was that the selection of these two projects should be undertaken through a ranking study by a reputable international consulting engineering organisation.
My paper was accepted as the conference recommendation and the ranking study was finally completed in 1984, by the reputable Montreal Engineering Company. They ranked nine projects on the Indus, prepared and completed a detailed feasibility study of the top-ranked Bhasha Dam and hydroelectric project in 1984.
Since they had not ranked Kalabagh, the Kalabagh lobby practically blacklisted them. However, a separate consulting engineering firm prepared and completed the feasibility study on Kalabagh, also in 1984.
Since then, we could have built the three non-controversial mega projects, Bhasha, Dasu and Bunji to add 16,000MW power. But by stressing only on Kalabagh, not allowing construction of the other non-controversial mega projects, and impeding hydroelectric development, we have been faced with an inadequate power shortage, as well as over dependence on oil-powered and inefficient thermal power IPP’s coupled with their unaffordable cost.
After many years of delay, work started on filling the gaps in Bhasha’s feasibility study. By 2005, the design and engineering documents were ready but to please the Kalabagh lobby, Bhasha was delayed.
No further feasibility of the Bhasha is needed now and we must not fall into the trap of asking for more funds.
The way forward
The new government has announced that the Diamer-Bhasha Project has the highest priority. Efforts should be made to start the construction of Bhasha and almost simultaneously Dasu 4320MW. Bhasha would also increase the life of Tarbela by 30-40 years.
We are not in a position to add 23,837MW by 2015 but hydropower can be our salvation in the power sector — the only indigenous and abundant resource that can make electricity affordable and cheap enough to cost around Rs2 per unit.
Electricity from coal is Rs10, furnace oil over Rs16, gas over Rs4 and wind about Rs14 per 30,000MW in 10 years. It is imperative that we proceed and accelerate through hydel projects and this can be done if the government produces the will and commitment to pursue them.
The writer is a former chairman of the Planning Commission Working Group on Hydropower and Alternate Energy
Published in The Express Tribune, December 2nd, 2013.
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COMMENTS (15)
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hydel project is one of the renewable energy. All project of energy will be done. We should make a vision by 2018 to access electricity to all people. It will be generate gdp five times. Corruption of electricity will be reduced. Allah hafeez
There is no shortage of power in Pakistan, if power theft can be curtailed. What's the point of producing more power, by taking loans, when it is also going to be stolen ? It appears to me that Pakistan is a vast ATM for rich & powerful families to plunder as they please.
Curtail line losses and enforce bill collection (Sindh government being Rs50 billion in arrears) and the energy "crisis" is solved. Charge interest on late payment to ensure everyone pays on time. If people are not happy with paying interest, call it surcharge to pacify them.
Reminds me of what a Railway Minister replied when asked why Pakistan doesnt build Railway Engines ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ His reply; first 40 years we were completely busy with India and Kashmir and then with Afghanistan.....there was just no time..... Ditto for Hydel Energy.
@abd:
"But the initial cost of constructing a dam is very high and Pakistan can’t afford that. The govt. doesn’t have the money "
Lack of money was never the real problem. The wrong priorities have been the root of the problem. You can't be a security state spending a lion's share on the military, missiles and nukes and still have money left for development. The situation will remain the same until Pakistan's national priorities and paradigm take a new direction.
@lol: Sorry to put you out from misery.
Pak has built largest earth filled dams by itself, Pak was model for progress in 1960 and South Koreans came to study the 5 year plan of Pak at that time. Just to be little afresh, Pak pope a nuclear on May 98 right under your very nose. Care to trouble your brain a little??.
Here, the question is not about the expertise, not even the capital for that matter, it is about honest & timely decisions.
regards,
You have nicely spelt out what a lot of thinking people already know........but spelling it out is very necessary because it may, just may, make our planners and politicians think think in the interest of the country instead of only their pockets.
but the problem is that pak doesn't have the expertise in building dams......even the highway karokaram one is being built by china completely....... 66 years and failed in all fields....must hurt.....education system of pak is messed up i guess.........engineering colleges must be experiencing loadshedding....maybe dats y they cant do practicals :D
It was a good vision but you totally missed the boat. Yes, Pakistan needs energy but what it really needs is water. One can live without electricity, like Pakistani's have been doing lately, but life can't exit without water. All these dams, including Kalabagh will be just a beginning to sustain life in Pakistan. Pakistan has to do lot more than that to store water and use it as needed.
It is very unfortunate that lots of politicians, who have no clue about the subject have jumped in arguing that dams like Kalabagh will be built on their dead bodies. If that is the case then so be it. Let these dams be built on their dead bodies. We will need water for our children to live and if we need to sacrifice lives of politicians, who been mum about what India been doing to control water before it gets to Pakistan, then so be it.
There is no money for hydel plants. Everyone knows hydro electricity is the cheapest source of electricity in the long run. It is also relatively clean and has other benefits like making water available for agricultural use. But the initial cost of constructing a dam is very high and Pakistan can't afford that. The govt. doesn't have the money and the donors have no appetite for funding it either because, let's face it, westerners hate Pakistan ATM. So it's not going to happen.
The only practical solution is to privatize the discos. That way they will have incentive to tackle theft like KESC did. After theft has been tackled to some extent these companies will shift focus to introducing better technology like smart meters. These things won't solve the electricity crisis but they will take these white elephant discos off government hands and free up funds that could, in theory, be invested in more power plants maybe even hydro electric ones. Better management of the power sector might even convince donors to give us the loans we need for mega projects.
Good article, thank you author for enlightening my people!
...good read indeed.
One of the reasons why Kala Bagh is pushed time n time again because it is small as compare to Bhasa & can easily by constructed within in country resources due to its location in upper & Punjab / KPK.
...however, I agree that we should not have wasted so much years for Kala Bagh only and had we built Bhasa on time we would have been much better in shape economically.
regards,
Thank you for enlightening us with this piece. I request the ET to kindly have more such pieces focusing on real solutions to very real problems.
Crime against the peoples of pakistan since 30-long years no dam was build in pakistan! what a jock! how is possible english-elits of pakistan educated in big english universities can not deliver! now question arise those peoples who spend hard win money of pakistan in europe usa what they did in these 30-long years?! PIA, Pak railways, Pak steel mils, irrigation system out of service!!! why Pakistan Talibans bomb military, police, ghq, air bases, is there any magic in these affaires!