APM Pakistan Handout
"Usually the financial constraints halts the government sponsored but loan based hydro power projects. This is the matter of poor management & institutional corruption. Most of the industry across the country steals the electricity with the consent of herds of black sheep present in WAPDA and other concerned companies they do this under the guise of line losses or meter tempering", says Muhammad Raza Khan Chairman APM Pakistan. He was expressing his views on the enrgy crisis of Pakistan.
'If honest efforts with national zeal would be made then the shortfall of electric power could be met' he added.
"For instance, Gilgit Baltistan alone can produce more than 20,000 megawatts of hydro power. Installation of series tunnel turbines on the River Indus from Jaglot to Bunji without daming the main flow can generate 20 mega watts of electric power. Finances are the only cross cutting. To build up the national character to cope with the menace of electric power theft can get enough revenue to make loadshedding free country a reality" , he emphasis.
However,Pakistan is blessed with a hydro power potential of more than 40,000 MW. However, only 15 per cent of total hydro power potential has been effectively used so far. The total installed capacity of the hydro power stations in the country is about 6,595 MW, out of which 3,767 MW is in KP, 1,698 MW in Punjab, 1,036 MW in AJ & Kashmir and 93 MW inthe Northern Areas. The hydro power sector inPakistan is mainly is under command & control of WAPDA.
WAPDA is working on its plan called National Water Resource and Hydro power Development Program Vision 2025 with an objective to develop 16,000 MW of hydro power for providing cheap electricity to consumers along with preventing water shortages in future.