France supporting green energy development in Pakistan

Islamabad

Martine Dorance, ambassador of France along with Jean-François Cautain, ambassador of European Union visited the construction site of the national Hydropower Training Institute (HPTI) in Mangla on Monday and participated to the corner stone ceremony hosted by Wapda’s member Water, Nasir Hanif.

France and EU through the French Agency for Development (AFD) have provided the Government of Pakistan with a 4 million Euros funding. The grant of 2.5 million Euros was delegated to the AFD by the European Union as part of the Asia Investment Facility. In addition to the EU grant, the French Agency for Development has provided additional funding of 1.5 million Euros for the successful and timely completion of the project.

Upon its completion by end of 2018, the hydropower training centre will contribute to the capacity-building of public and private hydropower operators like Wadpa, provincial operators and independent power producers. It will ensure a sound and skilled development of hydropower projects by strengthening the capacities of technicians and engineers in charge of designing and operating hydropower plants.

For the last 10 years, France through the French Agency for Development has been promoting green energies in Pakistan and has allocated more than 300 million euros to investments in hydroelectricity. About 80% of this amount is financing projects implemented by Wapda to develop the tremendous Pakistani potential in hydroelectricity.

France is committed to support the Government’s strategy to solve the energy crisis and to fight climate change through investments in low-carbon-emission energy generation in line with COP21 Paris agreement approved by the Parliament of Pakistan.