KP to expand infrastructure for hydropower distribution

PESHAWAR: In a bid to improve the electricity transmission system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the provincial government has announced various projects aimed at expanding the infrastructure and administrative capabilities of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Transmission and Grid Company (KPT&GC).

According to a handout, the initiative marks a historic first for the province, allowing it to use its own resources to lay new transmission lines. These lines will facilitate the sale of inexpensive hydropower to the industrial sector at competitive rates.

Hydropower generated from rivers in the Chitral/Dir region, Kohistan region, Swat region, and Mansehra region will be distributed to industrial consumers through a modern distribution system.

A review meeting of the company was held under the chairmanship of Secretary Energy and Power Nisar Ahmad Khan. Special Secretary Energy Department Tashfeen Haider, Advisor Energy Engineer Tila Muhammad, Chief Executive KPT&GC Muhammad Ayub, and Senior Planning Officer Engineer Luqman Hakeem were also present.

Adviser Energy Engineer Tila Muhammad stated that the company was established in February 2021. Its primary goal is to deliver electricity generated from renewable energy sources, including hydropower, to consumers through its own transmission network efficiently.

Muhammad highlighted that Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO) currently generates about 300 MW of cheap hydropower in the province. With the completion of ongoing hydropower projects over the next 2 to 3 years, an additional 1,000 MW of affordable electricity will be produced. The provincial government prioritises using this electricity for the development of the province’s industrial sector.