The 640 MW Azad Pattan Hydropower Project is located on the Jhelum River about 7 km upstream of Azad Pattan Bridge and some 90 km from Islamabad. Azad Pattan Power Private Limited is the owner and developer of the Project. The Project is being developed by the Laraib Group, the initial sponsors of the 84 MW New Bong Escape Hydropower Project, the first private hydropower project in Pakistan.
The bankable feasibility study prepared by URS Scott Wilson Ltd, UK and approved by the POE at PPIB on December 20, 2011. The Company is actively pursuing project development activities to achieve financial close by end 2017 followed by the start of construction.
The project will be held on a 30 year term on a B.O.O.T basis. The salient features include a 90 m dam, 65 meter gross head, and an underground powerhouse. The Project site is fairly compact with less than 2 KM of tunnels. With an average design discharge of 1,200 cumecs the annual net generation will be more than 3 billion units (kWh) of clean energy.
The feasibility stage tariff 6.2 US cents/kWh (levelized) was approved by NEPRA in October 2014 based on adjusted cost of US $1145 million compared with the feasibility cost of USS 1447 million. The project cost and tariff will be finned up and revised at EPC tariff stage based on firm construction arrangements. The tariff is based on a project construction time of 6 years.
Hydropower projects can fail due to inability to acquire required land however the Project land acquisition is at a fairly advanced stage and a detailed inventory of surveyed land vetted by the land authorities is available. This will accelerate the development process and minimize the risk of any delays.
Host country approval (Pakistan) has been accorded by the GOP EPA and the CDM registration process is substantially complete. The Project will be eligible for some 44 million tons of CER's in its 30 years term; environmental consents from AJ&K and Punjab EPAs are also in place..
Needless to say, the Azad Pattan HPP is a key hydropower project and development of such projects will not only provide cheaper electricity but will ensure the energy security of Pakistan.
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