Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Syed Raghib Abbas Shah on Wednesday said that a number of projects of affordable energy are under progress and after completion WAPDA will be able to add 20,000 Megawatts (MW) into the national grid by 2020 with the continuous availability of funds for these projects.
Talking to reporters after signing an agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for providing $ 12 million for the construction of Waran Canal in Tank, the WAPDA chairman said that 300 MW would be added to the national grid by March next year.
He said Neelam-Jehlum Hyrdo Project of 1000 MW would be ready by 2016 while Tarbella up-gradation project of 1400 MW would be ready in the next four years.
The Chairman also said that work on the 4500 MW Diamer-Bhasha Dam was also going on and negotiations were underway for the availability of financial assistance for the project.
He further said that Pakistan had been negotiating with the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and all other financial institutions to seek financial assistance for the completion of the energy projects, especially in the hydro-power sector so that the people could get affordable energy. He added that this move would also reduce the reliance on the expensive imported oil.
