CM Mahmood Khan orders timely completion of power projects

PESHAWAR: Terming the timely completion of the ongoing mega power projects of the provincial government as the need of the hour, Chief Minister Mahmood Khan on Saturday directed the authorities concerned of Energy and Power Department to ensure the timely completion of all the ongoing power projects.

He was chairing a progress review meeting of the Energy and Power Department the other day. Besides Advisor to Chief Minister on Energy and Power Himayatullah Khan and Secretary Energy and Power Muhammad Zubair, other relevant high ups of the department and PEDO attended the meeting. The chief minister termed the establishment of the provincial Transmission and Dispatch Company an important step of the provincial government towards self-sufficiency in power-related issues and directed the high-ups of Energy and Power Department to start hiring process of the required human resources for the company as soon as possible so that the objective of the establishment of the company could be achieved without any delay.

The meeting was told that a total of eight projects were reflected in the Annual Development Program 2020-21, out of which six were approved by the competent forum whereas PCs-1 of the remaining two had been prepared and submitted to the forum concerned for formal approval.

It was told that the bid was received for the 300 MW Balakot Hydropower Project and construction on the same is expected to be started by February next year whereas 93 percent work on phase-1 of 356 mini hydel power project had been completed. So far an amount of Rs4352 million had been spent on the project. The meeting was also informed that progress on the 88 MW Gabral hydropower project and 157 MW Madayan hydropower project was being ensured as per the given timelines whereas civil and mechanical works on 17 MW Ranolia power project had been completed, adding that 60 percent civil work on 84 MW Gorkin Matiltan project and 97 percent civil work on 10 MW Jabori power project had been completed.

A number of other projects were also discussed at the meeting and directives were issued for their timely completion.