Official says KP completes 10 hydropower projects to generate Rs13bn annually

PESHAWAR: “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has completed 10 hydropower projects generating 224 megawatt electricity and earning a Rs 13 billion income per annum for the province. Similarly, seven more projects will be completed in next two years that will increase the capacity generating the economical energy to 1000 MW and expected to earn Rs 55 billion annually. Moreover, work is also underway on three flagship energy projects in Swat district, which will start generating 387 MW of electricity in the next two years.”

This was stated by Secretary Energy & Power Nisar Ahmad while presiding over a meeting here on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary Energy Anwar Khan Sherani, Chief Executive Engineer Anwarul Haq, Senior Chief Planning Officer Syed Zahar Shah and other senior officials.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO) Engineer Anwarul Haq briefed the participants of the meeting regarding the energy projects initiated by the organisation.

The secretary Energy & Power said that construction work has been accelerated on laying a 40-kilometer transmission line on the Swat corridor, which will be completed next year. With the completion of the transmission line the economic energy produced by the hydropower projects will be sold to the industrial sector of the province.

Engineer Anwarul Haq in his briefing told the meeting that three major 63 MW hydropower projects including 40.8 MW Koto Dir, 11.8 MW Karora (Shangla) and 10.2 MW Jabori Mansehra have been completed successfully last year, after which the total generation capacity of cheap electricity of PEDO has increased to 224 MW.

Similarly, work is underway on seven projects including 300 MW Balakot Mansehra, 215 MW Madin Swat, 88 MW Gabral Kalam, 84 MW Matiltan Swat, 69 MW Lawi Chitral, 13.5 MW Chapri Charkhel Kuram and 6.9 MW Mujahideen Power Project Torghar.

The secretary Energy & Power termed the upcoming 40 km long 132/220 KV transmission line project from Matiltan to Madayin project as extremely important. He stressed on completing it within the timeframe of this year and issued instructions to the concerned project director to further expedite the work on the province’s largest project, 300 MW Balakot.

Moreover, the Secretary Nisar Ahmad, while issuing instructions to the PEDO authorities, said that the ongoing energy projects should be included in the national grid after completion. If they are not included in the national grid, distribution licenses should be obtained immediately under the direct supply model for selling electricity to the industrial sector at cheap rates.

He strictly warned the project directors that they should review the Gap Analysis of the projects and remove all obstacles including operational gaps, completion of TORs, time-bounding and complete the projects within the stipulated timeline, otherwise any delay would be intolerable.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026