(MENAFN- Tribal News Network)
The energy crisis has gripped Pakistan for many years, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province being no exception. During its first term, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government announced plans to construct 360 large and small dams across the province. The northern districts, Malakand and Hazara Divisions, offer abundant opportunities for such projects.
Efforts to mitigate the energy crisis through dams and hydel power projects began even before PTI's tenure. Previous governments, including the MMA, ANP, and PPP, initiated projects such as the Malakand-III Hydel Power Dam and the Koto Small Dam in Lower Dir. However, when PTI first came to power, then-Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, under the directives of party chairman Imran Khan, announced over 300 energy projects, with Khan himself inaugurating some.
These announcements initially brought joy to the people of KP, but 15 years later, not a single project has been completed. Some projects started but progressed at a snail's pace, while others never began. This lack of completion has caused significant difficulties for the public.
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Rehman Khan, a resident of Dir, expressed his disappointment, stating that the PTI government won people's hearts in 2010 by announcing numerous dams, but the completion of these hydel power projects remains a question mark. Despite years passing, incomplete dams and hydel power plants have not been operationalized, and load-shedding has increased manifold, causing daily distress during the heat. Even PTI's MPs and workers have protested against prolonged power outages, with some storming grid stations and forcibly turning on feeders.
Engineer Saeed ur Rahman, a social worker and micro-hydel power expert, highlighted the potential for hydel power dams in Malakand and Hazara Divisions. He mentioned that the Sarhad Rural Support Program (SRSP) has built two power plants in Kalam, supplying electricity to the entire area.
SRSP has also constructed dozens of micro-hydel power stations in Upper and Lower Dir, Swat, and Chitral, benefiting thousands of residents. Saeed suggested that if the provincial government built similar small power plants, it could significantly reduce the energy crisis.
Saeed told TNN that Upper Dir and Chitral have substantial potential for large, small, and medium hydel power projects, and it is the government's responsibility to tap into this. The provincial government announced a 36-megawatt hydro project in Bahrain, Swat, but it remains incomplete. Hydel power can generate electricity at a low cost, and local electricity supply could greatly alleviate the power crisis in the province.
This issue is not limited to KP; it affects the entire country, where various areas can generate electricity through wind, thermal, and other sources. However, powerful mafias, including IPPs and their government facilitators, hinder such initiatives because cheap electricity threatens their interests.
Efforts to Combat the Energy Crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Sources within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) told TNN that the provincial government is striving to address the energy issue. Several dams, both large and small, are being constructed, with some completed and others in progress or delayed. The largest energy project is the Koto Hydel Power Dam in Lower Dir, near Hajiabad on the Panjkora River, located seven kilometers north of Timergara.
The 41-megawatt Koto Hydel Power Station was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on August 18, 2014, with a revised cost of 13.9 billion rupees. Over 95% of the project is complete, and it is expected to be operational by the end of 2024, providing electricity to local areas and the national grid. The project aims to supply 41 megawatts daily and 207 gigawatts annually, potentially sparking a new era of development in the region.
Ibrash Pasha, a social worker and human rights activist, described the Koto Power Project as a conundrum, with completion timelines frequently changing. Originally set to be completed in 2018, the project has faced multiple delays, preventing the local population from escaping the energy crisis and depriving the government of potential revenue. Pasha raised concerns about the project's capacity to deliver 41 megawatts of electricity in the future, given the likely decrease in river water flow due to global warming.
Pasha emphasized that local electricity supply would reduce load-shedding in Lower and Upper Dir and support industrial growth, providing job opportunities for thousands.
Stalled Hydel Power Stations
According to PEDO, a feasibility study for a 150-megawatt project at Sharmai in Upper Dir was prepared in 2005, but it remains stalled. Despite multiple surveys and initial work, disagreements over tariffs have delayed the project, which could have significantly addressed Malakand Division's electricity shortage.
The 69-megawatt Lawi Darosh Chitral Hydel Power Station, inaugurated by former Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti in 2011-12, has also faced frequent starts and stops.
A PEDO official, speaking anonymously, stated that multiple small and large hydel power projects and micro-hydro projects are ongoing across the province. These include an 81-megawatt plant in Malakand, a 36-megawatt plant in Swat, an 18-megawatt plant in Swabi, a 12-megawatt plant in Chitral, and a 2.6-megawatt plant in Mardan. Additionally, projects in Swat, Upper Dir, and other areas are planned or in progress, including the 10.2-megawatt Jabbori project in Mansehra, which is 94% complete.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council has approved the 157-megawatt Madian and 88-megawatt Gabral Kalam Hydropower Projects, with work on the 300-megawatt Balakot Hydropower Project set to begin this year.
Currently, seven projects are underway in KP, including the 10.2-megawatt Jabbori project in Mansehra, the 11.8-megawatt Karora project in Shangla, the 84-megawatt Gorkin Matiltan project in Swat, the 40.8-megawatt Koto project in Lower Dir, the 69-megawatt Lawi project in Chitral, the 300-megawatt Balakot project, and the 10.56-megawatt Chapri Charhegal project in Kurram. The Jabbori, Karora, and Koto projects are expected to be completed by December this year, adding over 60 megawatts to the system.
Senior journalist Zaheeruddin from Chitral confirmed through WAPDA and PEDO sources that only 40% of the work on the aforementioned projects has been completed, with unknown reasons for the delays. Projects in Gangurani Singoor, Reshun, Shishi Koh, Garam Chashma, and Lawi Darosh are also pending completion.
Zaheer highlighted the success of SRSP, which has built mini and micro hydel power plants benefiting Malakand Division. Small hydel power stations, costing a few lakhs, could save significant expenses on larger projects. SRSP and other NGOs, along with local communities, have successfully constructed power plants ranging from 50 kilowatts to 5 megawatts in various districts, setting an example for government efforts to alleviate the energy crisis.
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