Sir: According to a media report, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has awarded the Rs 868 million contract of consultancy services for Warsak hydroelectric power station for the second rehabilitation of the power station on River Kabul at about 30-kilometre from Peshawar. WAPDA is executing second rehabilitation project of Warsak hydropower station to regain its generation capacity, which has decreased to 193MW from 243MW due to aging factor of the electro-mechanical equipment. It merits a mention that WAPDA has been vigorously implementing a least-cost energy generation plan to add low-priced hydroelectricity to the system to overcome electricity shortages in the country. This plan aims at optimal utilisation of the indigenous hydropower resources. In addition to constructing new projects, WAPDA has also been rehabilitating and up-grading its aging hydropower stations, including the Warsak, under the plan. The rehabilitation works are planned to be carried out with an approved PC-I cost of Rs 22.25 billion with the objective to overcome the aging problems, regain the capacity loss of 50MW with reliable annual energy generation, and to modernise the old system and achieve another life cycle of 30 to 40 years. It is pertinent to note that Warsak is the first ever main hydropower project executed in Pakistan after independence. The first phase of the Warsak dam and hydropower station was completed in 1960-61, consisting of the dam, irrigation tunnels, and four generating units with cumulative capacity of 160MW and switchyard and transmission line. In the second phase, two more generating units of about 83MW were added in 1980-81 to raise the installed capacity of the hydropower station to 243MW. The first rehabilitation was carried out during 1996-2006 to stabilise civil structure and recover lost generation of about 70MW. In view of the above, it is highly desirable that the rehabilitation of the Warsak hydropower station is undertaken and executed at the earliest to help lessen the power crisis in the country to some extent and get most economical and environment friendly source of energy. KHAN FARAZ Peshawar