Dams and Energy projects of KPK

KPK government approves construction of 356 micro hydel stations

The government of KPK has approved the construction of 356 micro hydel stations with a power generation capacity of 35 megawatts (MW). This is made possible with the help of non-government organisations (NGOs) in various parts of the province. These decisions were taken by the Board of Directors of Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization(PEDO). It has been decided to construct 356 community-based micro hydel stations through NGOs with the total cost of Rs 4.7 billion from Hydel Development Funds(HDF).

These mini stations will be constructed in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Batagram, Tor Ghar, Kohistan, Malakand, Buner, Swat, Shangla, Dir and Chitral having a total capacity of 35 MW. So far six local NGOs have shown interest to develop these projects. The board has given approval to start work on the large capacity of hydro-power projects in the province. Khan said that KPK is blessed with abundant natural resources for oil and gas, thermal and hydel generation which should be utilized for curbing the current energy crisis in the country.

Kalam got electricity after 6 years

The prayers of Kalam’s residents were finally answered after six years when a 400-kilowatt (KW) micro hydro power(MHP) project started generating electricity.It was Installed by Sarhad Rural Support Program(SRSP). The money to construct this project came through a funding from the European Union on 2013. It provided the tehsil city with 1,000 lines

Before this project people of Kalam faced many grueling situations. Like the manager of Al-Khaleej-al-Kalam Hotel, Mohammad Rom, said they used generators in their hotels which would cost around Rs 150,000 every month for fuel but with the electricity from the MHP, they only have to pay Rs 30,000 per month. Furthermore, residents of Kalam used to travel five hours to Mingora every time they need to get any medical tests, this was not because they did,nt have a hospital in Kalam but because there was no electricity in Kalam. These all issues were solved after 6 years with this 400-kilowatt MHP.

Micro-hydro power station lights up remote Pakistani village

Installation of a micro-hydro power station on a stream in Serai has brought electricity to the people of the remote village in the highlands of the Upper Swat Valley in northwestern Pakistan for the first time. A total of 240 micro-hydro power plants were installed with a production capacity of 21.7 megawatts in the parts of Malakand Division that have no access to electricity from the country's national grid. Residents of Serai were relished with introduction of electricity there as now they  can walk at night without fear of tumbling off steep paths to their death as Serai is in rough terrain and climbing up to houses can be difficult.

Most micro-hydro power plants in Pakistan produce 5 to 100 kilowatts. The next size up, mini-hydro power plants produce between 100 kilowatts and 1 megawatt. Small hydro power plants produce between 1 megawatt and 10 megawatts, while this plant produces mush more. The power plant was completed in nine months at a cost of $105,000, of which about $9,000 was raised locally.