The last monsoon floods delayed initiation of work on three hydropower projects of 46 megawatt in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The initiation of work on three projects with Koto (Dir), 30MW, Karora (Shangla) 8MW and Jabori (Mansehra) 8MW was scheduled in July 2010. But, the devastated flood delayed for a period of one year and now construction work on these projects would be started from July 2011.
This has been stated in response to a question of the Mufti Said Janan, A JUI-F member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by the department of Energy and Power of the province. The department was established in November 2008. The Department of Energy and Power had completed 81MW Malakand-III Hydropower Project, 18MW Pehur Hydropower Station and 1.87MW Sheshi Hydropower Station (Chitral). These schemes are earning an annual revenue of Rs 2 billion, Rs 250 million and Rs 20 million respectively.
The department will soon start construction work on three more hydropower projects included 36MW Daral Khawar, 18MW Ranolia (Kohistan) and 2.6MW Machai (District Mardan) soon. Similarly, work on the 84MW Mataltan Hydropower Project has been suspended by the private sponsor of the project. However, the provincial government had taken the project into its own possession and now it would be carried out through the resources of the provincial government. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 6 billion.
The provincial government had also obtained the feasibility report for the construction of 69 Lawi Hydropower project in district Chitral from Wapda and now this project will also constructed by the provincial government.
An amount of Rs 6 billion is received by the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa annually in head of net profit on the hydropower station from Wapda for generating 3700 MW electricity. The 81MW Malakand-III project was constructed by the provincial government that is earning a handsome amount of Rs 2 billion annually for the province, which reflect the important role of the hydel sector in the economic development of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The provincial government has decided to divert all receipts it receives in head of net profit on hydropower generation to the construction of hydel power stations in the province. The provincial government had sanctioned an amount of Rs 35 billion for the promotion of the sector.