KP govt hints at establishing its ‘EPRA’

PESHAWAR: Advisor to KP CM on Finance and Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC), Muzzammil Aslam Friday said the provincial government is going to establish its own electric power regulatory authority to directly sell the cheap hydropower produced in the province to the local industries.

He said a transmission and grid company has already been established for the direct supply of the hydropower to the industrial sector at cheap rates.

Addressing a function of Roadshow organized under the auspices of the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) here, he said that a long transmission line is being laid at Chakdara while a Nepra model, provincial regulatory authority is also being established for the development of the energy sector in the province.

Besides, Secretary Energy Nisar Ahmad Khan, representatives of business community associated with the industrial sectors across the province participated in the event.

Under the model power plants in the province beside public sector will also be installed by the private investors as well and the province will now determine the rates of electricity generated.

He expressed concern over power load shedding and supply of expensive electricity to the province despite generating 600 mega-watt cheap hydropower. and termed it as injustice. He said policy guidelines have been drafted for provision of facilities to the investors of energy sector and development of the industrial sector.

The implementation of the new policy guidelines will begin a new era of development and creation of new employment opportunities in the province.

The participants were told that Pakistan currently Pakistan has the hydropower generation capacity of 60,000 MW, of which 30,000 MW is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Similarly, the country currently generates 10,625 MW of hydropower while 6,000 MW which is 60% of the hydropower production is being generated from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while construction work is going on hydropower projects of 771 MW capacity including 40.8 MW of Koto Hydropower Project in Dir district and 11.8 MW of Karora Hydropower Project in Shangla are in the final stages of completion. The completion of these ongoing hydropower projects will earn another receipt of Rs.2.5 billion per annum for the province.

On this occasion, the representatives of the industrial sector expressed their keen interest in direct purchase of electricity at cheap rates and various suggestions and concerns were discussed at length.

During question-answer session, Chief Engineers PEDO Habibullah Shah and Aziz Bacha assured the participants of taking feasible steps for the development of the energy sector and especially for the rehabilitation of the industrial sector.

On this occasion, a detailed briefing was also given about the projects of the province’s own transmission and grid company and various proposals for the development of this important sector and the establishment of industrial units.