PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has completed three major hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 63 megawatts during the current year, which have started generating electricity and are expected to earn an annual income of Rs4.4 billion for the province.

According to a statement issued here on Sunday, the projects include the 40.8MW Koto hydropower project in Dir, the 11.8MW Karora project in Shangla and the 10.2MW Jabori project in Mansehra. Their completion marks significant progress in the provincial government’s efforts to expand indigenous energy generation through its own resources.

Secretary energy and power Nisar Ahmed shared the details while speaking at a review meeting on the progress of seven major ongoing hydropower projects here.

He informed the meeting that work was also being accelerated on a 40-kilometre-long transmission line along the Swat Corridor, which is scheduled for completion next year. “Once completed, the line will enable the supply of low-cost electricity to the industrial sector of the province.”

Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation’s chief executive officer Habibullah Shah briefed the meeting on the status of ongoing projects, including the 300MW Balakot project in Mansehra, 157MW Madian Swat, 88MW Gabral Kalam, 84MW Matilatan Swat, 69MW Lawi Chitral and the 6.9MW Mujahideen hydropower project in Torghar.

Mr Ahmed expressed serious concern over the slow pace of work on three flagship hydropower projects in Swat district, noting that these projects were expected to start generating a total of 330MW within the next two years. He warned the project directors that any delay beyond the stipulated timelines would be unacceptable.

Mr Ahmed stressed the importance of teamwork and directed Pedo officers to resolve issues collectively, adding that the energy department was monitoring the physical progress of all ongoing projects on a daily basis through a Gantt chart under the Good Governance Roadmap of the provincial government.

He also termed the 40-kilometre-long 132/220kV transmission line project from Matilatan to Madian as critical for the province’s future energy needs and directed that it be completed within the next year at all costs.

Instructions were also issued to the newly-appointed project director to further expedite work on the 300MW Balakot project, the largest hydropower scheme in the province.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2025