Meeting reviews progress on hydro power projects

PESHAWAR: The 69 MW Lawi power project will be completed by the year 2022-23 while the 72 MW power project at Istaru in Chitral will be operational by the year 2024.

This was stated at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Friday. The meeting discussed progress of work on micro hydro power projects in the province.

It was informed that for the first time in the past nine years, 70 MW electricity, being generated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is going to be included in the national grid.

The electricity to be included in the national grid station is being generated from Daral Khwar hydo power project (HPP) in Swat, Ranolia HPP in Kohistan, Pehur project in Swabi and Machai Canal in Mardan which are producing 36 MW, 17 MW, 18 MW and 2.6MW respectively.

In the private sector, the chief minister was informed that a total of 8 HPPs will be initiated in the year 2020-22 which will generate 656 MW whereas 24 HPPs will be initiated by the private sector in the year 2022-23 which will help in production of 537 MW electricity.

The chief minister said a total of 270 mini micro hydel power projects had been completed in feasible areas of the province whereas the government was also considering construction of 672 additional mini micro hydel power projects throughout the province.