LAHORE: The 2023-24 fiscal which ended on June 30 appeared to be a better year for green, clean and low-cost hydel electricity generation in Pakistan as 22 hydel power stations owned by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) cumulatively provided 34.436 billion units of electricity to the National Grid, which is 3.266bn units more than the last fiscal.

The authority achieved this additional hydel power generation because of the improved hydrology and effective operation and maintenance of its stations. The increased generation to the tune of 3.266 billion units helped Wapda save an amount of Rs143.7 billion if the same quantum of electricity had to be generated through imported furnace oil, according to a spokesperson.

The installed generation capacity of Wapda hydel stations, including Neelum Jhelum, stands at about 9,500 MW.According to the data, Tarbela sation generated 13.424 billion units, Tarbela 4th Extension-4.672 billion units, Ghazi Barotha- 6.556 billion units, Mangla 5.276 billion units, and Neelum-Jhelum generated 762 million units. Rest of the generation i.e. 3.747 billion units - was contributed by other hydel power stations of Wapda.

“A number of mega projects are under construction. These projects will increase the Wapda generation in next four to five years from 9,500 MW to 20,700 MW,” said the spokesperson on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2024