Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is taking revolutionary steps towards the development of energy sector. A number of power projects having more than 40 MW generation capacity are being developed. Rs 15.3 billions have been allocated during the year 2017-18 for the development of power projects in KP. Provincial government is concerned over the nonpayment of Rs 1.5 billions as electricity generation charges from Pehur Power Station and has decided to take up the issue at the highest forum. It is further added that federal government is not cooperating with provincial government in connection with the development of power projects.
This was stated in Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization's (PEDO) Board of Directors in its 19th meeting held under the chairmanship of chairman board Sahibzad Saeed Ahmed. PEDO BoD meeting was also attended by secretary Energy & Power Engr. Naeem Khan, representatives from finance and home departments, SCCI president Haji Afzal, Engr. Latif Khan, Abdullah Shah, Ruhail Akram, Fuad Ishaq, and PEDO Chief Akbar Ayub Khan.
During the meeting Rs 15.3 billion budget for the year 2017-18 of PEDO was presented while revised budget for the year 2016-17 of Rs 10.2 billion approved. Meanwhile, members of BoD approved PEDO's developmental budget for current financial year. Board was also apprised of the progress over ongoing work on power projects. It was stated that three hydropower projects having capacity of 56 MW have entered completion phase and would soon start power generation.
Moreover, the construction work on 356 mini micro hydropower projects, 84 MW Matiltan HPP, 41 MW Koto HPP, 69 MW Lawi HPP is going on. Future plan has been decided to start more power projects in province. In addition to this, six power projects having total capacity of 518 MW are being developed through private sector and process of awarding the projects is in final stages. Recently, one of the biggest power projects in the history of province having capacity 150 MW Sharmai HPP at Lower Dir has been awarded to private sector for implementation.