Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is actively pursuing six hydropower projects to add more than 11,241 megawatts of environment-friendly hydel electricity to the existing 9,443 megawatts of hydel generation in the coming years.

An official of WAPDA told media that presently, the total installed capacity of 24 hydel power stations stood at 9,443 megawatts and the addition of more than 11,241 megawatts would enhance it to 20,684.4 megawatts.

He said that the existing power stations included Tarbela, Mangla, Ghazi Brotha, Neelum Jehlum, and Warsak hydropower projects, which contributed about 25 percent to the total system capacity of 36,166 megawatts from all sources. He said the net electrical output was about 32,000 GWh per annum of the said power stations.

The official said that Dasu hydropower project would add 4,320 megawatts, Tarbela 5th extension 1510 megawatts, Mohmand Dam 800 megawatts, Diamer-Basha Dam 4,500 megawatts, Keyal Khwar power project 128 megawatts and Kurram Tangi Dam 83.4 megawatts to the national grid system.

Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has also developed several nuclear power projects to support the economic uplift of Pakistan. The total installed capacity of nuclear power plants connected with the national grid system is 3,530 megawatts including the 1,330 megawatts Chashma nuclear power project and the 2,200 megawatts Karachi nuclear power project, according to the information gathered by WealthPK.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk