Power generation plan, announced in August 2007, was developed to meet the growing demand of electricity primarily by exploiting indigenous energy resources, which included hydropower, coal, wind and solar.

Though hydropower is an important renewable source of least-cost electricity, a lower priority, if any, was accorded to the planned and on-going hydropower projects.

It was planned to add 1,260-mw from hydropower generation by 2010.

However, only Malakand-III hydroelectric power station of 81-mw capacity was commissioned by the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2010, and that too has not yet been fully operational.

All Wapda hydropower projects have also been delayed. Khan Khwar hydropower station of 72-mw installed capacity was inaugurated in July this year. Allai Khwar of 121-mw capacity will be fully operational by December 2012, while Duber Khwar of 130-mw is now in advanced stage of commissioning and trial runs.

These projects, which commenced in 2003, were scheduled for completion within four years. Likewise, Gomal Zam Dam project of 17-mw and Satpara Dam project of 16-mw (partially in operation and connected to local grid) are not yet operational. Jinnah hydropower of 96-mw capacity has been inordinately delayed and is likely to achieve completion in 2013.

Rehabilitation of Jabban power station, practically a new project of 22-mw capacity, which is behind schedule by many years, will be operational in March 2013. Thus, Wapda will possibly be able to add only 458-mw electricity to national grid by March 2013.

Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir have cumulatively created an additional hydropower capacity of nominal 11-mw through mini and micro power stations, all stand-alone or connected to local grids. Pioneering hydropower project of commercial scale in the private sector — New Bong Escape near Mangla — is scheduled for commissioning by February 2013 and for commercial operations by May 2013. The 84-mw capacity project is being developed by Laraib Energy, now owned by Hubco.

Using indigenous coal, it was planned to develop coal-fired power plants of additional cumulative capacity of 740-mw, to bring the total capacity to 900-mw by 2010. Not a single megawatt, however, has been added during this period.

Two integrated coal mining cum power projects of 405-mw and 205-mw at Sonda-Jherruk were planned by Dadabhoy Group and CMC China, respectively. The projects have not however materialised as yet.

Similarly, none of the proposed power projects based on Lakhra coal in private sector could see light of the day. Power generation projects based on Thar coal are also nowhere in sight.

A cumulative power generation capacity of 700-mw was to be developed through alternate/renewable energy resources. In relation, only 5-mw wind energy from Zorlu Enerji’s 56-mw project could come up on stream by April 2009. The project, which is located at Jhampir, District Thatta, is now expected to achieve commercial operation by December 2012. Another wind energy project FFC Energy of over 49-mw is scheduled for generating electricity in early 2013. In addition, a few bagasse-based co-generation power plants of total 30-mw have been constructed by sugar mills.

The Plan had also envisaged commissioning of a number of on-going thermal power plants by 2010, including natural-gas-based of 4,860-mw and oil-based 160-mw capacity. However, power plants of cumulative capacity of 1,700-mw only were connected to national grid by 2010.

These IPPs are AttockGen Power of 165-mw installed capacity, Atlas Power (Sheikhupura) 225-mw, Engro Energy 227-mw, Saif Power (Sahiwal) 229-mw, Orient Power 229-mw, Nishat Power 200-mw, Nishat Chunian Power 200-mw and Sapphire Power (Muridke) 225-mw.

Another four projects of total 830-mw capacity were commissioned during 2011-12. These include Liberty Power Tech (Faisalabad) 200-mw, Foundation Power Daharki 185-mw, Halmore Power 225-mw and Hubco Narowal 220-mw. None of the proposed thermal power plants in public sector were established.

While there was no addition planned in nuclear power generation capacity by 2010, new power plants of cumulative capacity of 900-mw were envisaged for commissioning by 2015. Satisfactory progress has been attained in this area.

Chashma-II of 325-mw has been operating commercially since May 2011. Construction of another two nuclear power plants at Chashma, each of 325-mw capacity, is to be undertaken shortly, which are scheduled for completion in 2015-16.

Thus, the National Power Generation Plan is already outdated and outmoded, having missed all the targets set in the document, and needs to be recast on priority.

Optimal nuclear power generation is one of the solutions to face with fast-growing demand for electricity. Nuclear power is clean, reliable and relatively economical to maintain, with affordable and stable electricity costs. Indigenous manufacturing capacity and capability has recently been strengthened to contribute towards implementing a long-term nuclear energy programme.

Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority has granted on October 2 a licence to HMC-3, an industrial unit of the PAEC, to manufacturing “class-I” (specialised) equipment, whereas it already produces “class-II” and “class-III” (less sensitive) equipment, components and spare parts for nuclear power stations.

Engr Hussain Ahmad Siddiqui is former Chairman of State Engineering Corporation