10 hydropower projects in KP facing delays

PESHAWAR: Ten major hydropower projects with a total capacity of 781MWs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are facing delays.

Three projects have already passed their completion deadlines, while seven other projects in the province have also failed to meet their timelines, raising concerns about potential cost overruns.

The Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO), overseeing these projects, has faced criticism for its inability to deliver on schedule.

In a recent meeting, Secretary Energy and Power, Zubair Khan, expressed strong displeasure over the persistent delays. The secretary directed PEDO and other relevant authorities to address the bottlenecks and ensure the timely completion of all pending projects, emphasizing that such setbacks are unacceptable given their importance to the province’s energy needs.

Documents reveal that the Koto Hydropower Project (HPP) in Lower Dir, Timergara, was scheduled for completion in October 2024. However, despite 98.5 percent of the work being finalised, the Rs13,998.89 million project, expected to generate 40.8MW of electricity, remains unfinished.

Similarly, the Jabori Hydropower Project (HPP) in Mansehra, which was due to be completed by December 2024, has completed 99 percent of its work. The Rs4,188.26 million project is designed to produce 10.2MW of power but has yet to be operationalised.

The Karora Hydropower Project in Shangla also faces delays, with 96.7 percent of the work completed against its December 2024 deadline. The Rs6,992.77 million project is projected to generate 11.8MW of electricity.

In addition to these projects, seven others — including the 300MW Balakot, 84MW Gorkin Matiltan, 6.95MW Mujahidin, 13.5MW Chapri Charkel, 69MW Lawi, 88MW Gabral Kalam, and 157MW Madyan have also failed to meet their timelines. These delays further highlight inefficiencies in project management and execution by PEDO.