The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Syed Raghib Abbas Shah has said on Saturday that the authority will complete mega projects for generating 20,000 megawatts (MW) of electricity till 2022.
The projects after completion would bring power prices down from Rs 14 to Rs 3 per unit, he said while speaking on a television channel.
Raghab said that 13 new small hydro power projects, including Sadpara, Jinnah and Gomal Zam, would also be completed till 2013. These projects would generate 400 MW of electricity, besides helping the agriculture sector, he added.
He said that the Bunjee hydro project would produce 7,000 MW of electricity and the Diamer hydro project would bring in an additional 4,000 MW. He said that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Development Bank and the United States (US) would provide financial assistance for the mega projects. Replying to a question, the WAPDA Chairman said that in the past, the functional activities of WAPDA were given to unrelated institutions which added to the problems.
He said that the WAPDA was presently only concentrating on hydro power generation projects, while Pakistan Electric Supply Company (PEPCO), Hub Power Company Limited (HUBCO) and Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) were working to improve other areas of energy sector, including thermal and furnace sectors.
Replying to another question, he said there were two main reasons for energy shortage in the country which were line losses and power pilferage. The PEPCO was made responsible to check the losses, he added. Replying to another query, he said that the WAPDA had made a plan to manage a flood disaster strategy for minimizing losses during natural catastrophes.
Furthermore, he said that foreign companies and consultants were working on different power projects and they had been provided full security by the Government of Pakistan. Moreover, the WAPDA chairman said that Chinese, German and Korean companies were also working on hydro power projects in the country.
He said that memorandum of understandings (MoUs) on hydro projects would be signed between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government and Korean companies soon, adding that these projects would produce 1,200 MW of electricity.
