Wapda is focused on optimum utilisation of water and hydropower resources, as water and electricity are the most important factors for economic development and social uplift of the country.
Wapda Member (Water) Syed Raghib Abbas Shah expressed these views while talking to a delegation of National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad, headed by Major General Naweed Zaman, here at Wapda House. Wapda Member (Power) Muhammad Qasim Khan was also present on the occasion.
Member (Water) said that Pakistan is blessed with ample resources of water and hydropower. For harnessing these resources, Wapda is executing a number of mega as well as medium and small projects in both sectors, he added. Responding to a question, he said that mega and medium-sized reservoirs, being developed by Wapda, would help mitigate the floods on their completion in addition to providing water and generating low-cost hydro electricity.
Secretary Wapda Imtiaz Tajwar, briefing the delegation about water and hydropower sectors, said that nearly four million acre feet of water would be made available on completion of the three water sector projects, expectedly by the year 2011. He further said that five hydropower projects with accumulative capacity of 520MW are nearing completion and will start contributing to the national grid from this year onward one-by-one, starting with Khan Khwar Hydropower Project.
Pepco Director General (Energy Management and Conservation) briefed the delegation about power generation capacity, demand and supply position, reasons for power deficit and the measures being taken to mitigate electricity shortages. He informed the delegation that the government has planned to add more than 9,000MW of electricity to the system during the next five years. Later, Member (Water) and head of the delegation exchanged souvenirs as memento the visit.