Sherry calls for building smaller dams to overcome energy crisis

ISLAMABAD: The Parliamentary leader of the Pakistan People’s Party in the Senate Senator Sherry Rehman emphasized the urgent need for Pakistan to harness its hydropower potential and shift toward renewable energy to ensure a sustainable and resilient energy future.

“Due to Pakistan’s critical energy challenges in the face of escalating climate disruptions and population growth, Senator Rehman underscored the role of hydropower as a cornerstone of the country’s energy transition,” she was delivering a keynote address at the 4th International Hydropower Conference here on Thursday.

Senator Sherry Rehman said energy is not just power, it is wealth, stability, and the foundation of modern civilization. “As the fifth most populous country in the world, Pakistan cannot achieve sustainable growth without a reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy supply. Unfortunately, we remain heavily reliant on energy imports, and the escalating costs and supply chain disruptions due to conflicts are intensifying our energy crisis,” she stated. She underscored the country’s clean energy mix, which already sees over 55pc of electricity generated from hydropower and nuclear energy, calling for further investments in smaller and medium-sized dams, which she described as “the path to a sustainable hydropower future.”

Sherry said we must do more to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and focus on clean, renewable energy sources.” She warned “By 2025, Pakistan is projected to be water-scarce, with reliance on glacial melt proving increasingly unreliable. Tarbela, Mangla, and other big dams that once powered our development now face silting liabilities and reduced capacity.”

Emphasizing the untapped potential of hydropower, the PPP senator noted that Pakistan has a capacity of 64 GW but is only utilizing 10,852 MW. “This is a colossal, missed opportunity. We must shift our focus to the north, where the hydropower potential is vast and largely unexplored.” She also pointed to the critical need for “modernizing our grid to unlock the potential of hydropower and other renewable sources.”

Sherry Rehman called on Pakistan to align with global energy trends, noting that Europe and China are rapidly transitioning to renewable energy. However, she also cautioned against complacency. “Globally, fossil fuel emissions are still rising, and with them, global warming. We are now headed toward a world with 3°C warming.” She urged collaborative efforts between local governments, communities, and international stakeholders to bring renewable projects to a financial close.