‘Several energy projects near completion’

PESHAWAR: Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Energy Tariq Sadozai on Tuesday said that several Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government-imitated energy projects were on final stages of completion, which would prove helpful in stabilising the province’s economy.

He was speaking at a meeting of Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation to review the progress of ongoing energy projects here. Secretary Energy and Power Muhammad Zubair Khan was also present on the occasion.

Sadozai said two projects worth 53-megawatts would be completed this year, from which the province was expected to earn an annual income of more than Rs2.4 billion from the electricity generated. Similarly, he said, the 84mw Gorkin-Matiltan Hydropower Project in Swat district would also be completed and power generation would start next year.Along with the hydropower projects, he added, practical work would also be started soon on the project to provide free solar systems to millions of poor families.

Chief Executive PEDO Irfanullah Khan told the meeting that work was currently underway on several energy projects including hydro, solar power and transmission lines under the supervision of this office.

The CEO added that the province has successfully completed eight hydroelectric projects, generating a total capacity of 172mw electricity, generating an annual revenue of more than Rs5 billion for the province.

He said that work is underway on 12 projects, including 300 MW Balakot Mansehra, 157mw Madyan in Swat, 88mw Gabral Kalam, 84mw Matiltan Swat, 69 mw Lawi in Chitral, 40.8mw Koto Dir, 11.8mw Karora in Shangla, 10.5mw Chapri Charkhel Kurram and 6.9mw Mujahideen Power Project Torghar. These projects would generate a total of 778mw of electricity and the province would have an annual revenue of more than 45 billion rupees, he added.