WAPDA committed to optimum utilisation of hydropower potential

WAPDA is committed to optimum utilisation of hydropower potential in the country, as execution of hydel projects will not only help bridge the gap between generation and consumption of electricity but also improve the ratio of low-cost hydropower in the National Grid.
WAPDA Chairman stated this while speaking in a ceremony held here at WAPDA House to sign a Rs 1.912 billion contract for lot-3.1 of 106-MW Golen Gol Hydropower Project, which involves civil works of the power house, tale race and switchyard. WAPDA signed this contract with a joint venture of SAMBU, a Korean firm, and SARCO, a Pakistani firm, for the purpose.
It is pertinent to mention that an agreement of Rs 7.52 billion for lot-2 of the project was also signed with the same joint venture couples of days ago. Golen Gol Hydropower Project, scheduled to be completed in four years will generate about 436 million units of electricity annually. According to estimation, the project will add about Rs 9 billion per annum to the national economy through socio-economic uplift in the country caused by the project
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan, blessed with ample resources, possesses an identified hydropower potential of 60000 MW which stands at about over half a dozen hydropower projects of more than 1400 MW accumulated generation capacity are in the construction phase, three projects of about 4800 MW are available for initiating construction work, another five mega projects with a total capacity of 13200 MW are in the detailed engineering design phase, while feasibility studies of several projects with thousands of MW of generation capacity are also in progress.