CHITRAL: The Golen Gol Hydropower Project (GGHP) is near completion but the villagers of Chitral fear that they will be deprived of the electricity generated through the scheme as Peshawar Electric Supply Company is yet to make arrangements for it.

A source in Pesco told Dawn that the company required about Rs10 million to synchronise its existing system with the national grid. He said that the amount would be provided by the federal government as former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif had announced to electrify 100 villages of Chitral with the electricity generated by the power project.

The source said that out of the three units of 36 megawatts each, the first one was being commissioned in December next that could not be connected to the national grid as work on transmission line was still in progress. “The only option with the company is to provide the electricity to the local areas,” he added.

Pesco needs about Rs10m to synchronise system with national grid

He said that if situation remained the same, then the longstanding dream of the local consumers to get uninterrupted power supply in December would not be realised till next year. He said that it would disappoint more than 15,000 consumers.

The lower Chitral has been witnessing over 20-hour power outages for the last 10 years. All the 10 union councils of upper Chitral had been without electricity since July 2015 when the 4.2 megawatts Reshun hydro power station run by Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (Pedo) was washed away by the glacial lake outburst flood.

More than 21,000 consumers of the area will get electricity if the transmission lines of Pedo are energised by the electricity generated from GGHP but it will not be possible in the prevailing circumstances as provincial government seems to be least bothered about it.

MPA Syed Sardar Hussain Shah said that people of his constituency pinned hopes on GGHP as provincial government failed to reconstruct the flood-hit Reshun power station.

“The thermal generation in Reshun will cost Rs30 per unit and it will entail a large sum of money to feed its consumers round the clock. It will be shelved within few months as government will not bear the expenses of fuel to run the generators,” he said.

Energy and Power Secretary Mohammad Naeem Khan confirmed that PEDO had no plan at all to purchase the surplus power from Pesco for its consumers in upper Chitral.

He said that thermal units in Reshun would be made operational within a few weeks to provide electricity to the area. He said that there was no need to purchase electricity from Pesco.

Pesco Superintending Engineer Faizullah said that the existing distribution network of the company could provide electricity to Chitral Town and its adjacent villages from GGHP.

He said that on the demand of local MNA, he was sent to Chitral by his high-ups to check the feasibility of electrification that was quite practicable as transpired during his preliminary assessment of the infrastructure.

Regarding provision of surplus electricity to upper Chitral, he said that it was also feasible and Pesco.

MNA Shahzada Iftikharud Din told Dawn that sensing gravity of the situation, he raised the issue in National Assembly. He said that he was assured that the announcement of the former prime minister would be translated into action.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2017