PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Minister for Energy and Power Muhammad Atif Khan has said that provincial government was actively working on utilisation of hydro power, oil, gas, wind, solar energy to overcome shortage of power in the province.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that work on 356 mini micro hydel projects costing Rs.5.524 billion was underway with community partnership. He informed that number of mini micro hydel projects would be increased to 1000 with support of Asian Development Bank.
He said that currently work on six power projects of 214 MW was in progress out of which three projects would start generating 56 MW of electricity this year. To attract domestic as well as foreign investment in KP, seven hydel power projects in private sector including 99 MW Arkari Goal Chitral, 188 MW Naran Dam Mansehra, 120 MW Sheko Kach Dir Lower, 21 MW Gorband Shangla, 96 MW Batta Kundi Mansehra, 96 MW Sharmai Dir Upper and 12 MW Nandihar Batagram have already been advertised while contract of 84 MW Mataltan hydro power project in Swat has already been awarded to Italian company, he further said.
The minister said that PEDO has also a plan of solar panels installation on 5650 houses and provision of solar power to 200 villages of the province adding a viable plan was being devised to utilise natural resources for generating electricity.
He expressed these views while addressing a provincial consultative meeting on preparation of National Action Plan (NAP) for sustainable energy, here on Saturday. Energy and Power Secretary Naeem Khan, Planning Commission Chairman Abdul Hamid Balghari, Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) CEO Akbar Ayub, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company Limited (KPOGCL) CEO Raziuddin, KP Electric Inspector Muhammad Ismail and Consultant Sardar Mozzam was also present.
