Hydroelectric power is an important domestic primary energy resource, and hydroelectric potential is estimated at around 10,000 megawatts. A large number of additional sites with major potential exist in the mountainous north but the difficulty of access and the high cost of transmission to the populous south make development a distant prospect.
A large proportion of hydro-generators are located at two large multipurpose dams. The Tarbela Dam located on the Indus River in the North-West Frontier Province has an installed capacity of 2,164 megawatts, and the Mangla Dam situated on the Jhelum River in Azad Kashmir has an installed capacity of 800 megawatts.
There are many prospects for development but they have not been undertaken for various reasons. I hope the government will make a concerted effort to tap this potential to deal with our worsening energy crisis.
SANA SULTAN
Faisalabad
