KP govt to build 672 mini power projects

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is in the final stage of launching the second phase of its Access to Clean Energy Programme to build another 672 small hydropower projects on canals, rivers and tributaries and also solarise schools and Basic Health Units (BHUs) across the province.

The provincial government is getting foreign and local loans of Rs20.76 billion for its Access to Energy project to build mini-hydro projects (MHP) on canals, rivers, tributaries and streams and also solarise schools and BHUs.

The provincial government under its Access to Clean Energy Programme has finalised arrangements to build 1,000 mini-hydro projects on canals, rivers and tributaries across the province for which it would receive a loan of $293.6 million from the Asian Development Bank and French Development Agency (AFD).

The ADF (Agence Francaise de Development) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) are lending $485 million (Rs16.14 billion) while Rs4.46 billion have been taken from the Hydel Development Fund (HDF). The province has to pay back the loan in 20 years after five years of grace period. The local loan component comes to Rs4.620 billion.

The programme also envisages the solarisation of 8,000 schools and basic health units (BHUs). The project would include solarisation of 30 percent girls’ schools and 187 health facilities.

The loan was finalised and approved during the previous provincial coalition government in KP led by the Pakistan Tehreek-i- Insaf (PTI).

According to the project document, MHPs component mainly envisages construction of 672 projects on streams and canals with project area being widespread all over the province. The MHPs would have a capacity range of 20 kilowatts (KW) to 1500 KW. The ADB is providing $237 million for the component.

About 160 MHPs having the capacity of 15.72 megawatt would be built on canals at the cost of Rs3.30 billion in Peshawar, Charsadda, Swabi, Haripur, Kohat, Bannu, Laki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Malakand or any other district having the potential sites or canals.

Similarly, 512 MHPs of 35.415 megawatts capacity would be constructed at the cost of Rs8.495 billion in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Battagram, Mansehra and Torghar districts.

The Project Management Unit (PMU) for the programme has been set up and is being manned by 61 staff, including technical and non-technical support staff.

The PMU is responsible for all the 672 MHP sites as well as the ongoing 356 MHP projects hence a total of around 1000 would finally be managed by the PMU.

The authorities are also taking necessary measures to facilitate transfer of the operation of the 255 MHPs projects completed under the programme to the local communities.

The document said as the asset transfer was not possible under Private Public Partnership (PPP) Act, therefore, in the light of decision of recently held review meeting, a draft proforma of transfer deed has been developed to hand over these 255 to the local communities in northern districts of the province for operation and maintenance.

Moreover, a summary has been moved for approval to amend the Power and Energy Development Organisation (Pedo) Act to pave the way for handing and taking over of the projects having capacity of less than 2 megawatts.