Daily Times

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Caretaker Chief Minister, Muhammad Azam Khan here Saturday stressed to increase power generation in KP, saying completion of ongoing power generation projects would not only add electricity to the national grid but also help increase the income of the province.

He was chairing the 13th policy board meeting of the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO). The meeting was attended by caretaker minister for energy, Ahmad Jan, Additional Chief Secretary, Zubair Asghar, Secretary Finance, Ayaz Khan, Secretary Law, Shagufta Naveed, Secretary Energy, Tashfeen Haider , Chief Executive Officer PEDO, Engr. Naeem Khan and concerned officials.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister presented the annual report of PEDO for the year 2022-233.

Caretaker CM expressed satisfaction over PEDO’s performance expressing hope that PEDO would ensure timely completion of energy generation projects to enhance the energy generation capacity of the province and provide cheap electricity to people.

The meeting also approved the current budget estimate of PEDO for 2023-24 and reviewed the budget for 2022-23.

The meeting was told that revenue of Rs. 47 billion has been generated by energy projects of PEDO and seven hydropower projects of 162 MW have been completed under PEDO while five power-generating projects are in the final stage of completion.

The meeting was informed that work is in progress on the 13.5 MW Chappari Charkhel project and 6.9 MW Mujabdeen hydropower projects while work has been started on the 300 MW Balakot Hydropower project with financial assistance from Asian Development Bank. The work would soon start on the 88 MW Gabral Kalam project and 157 MW Madayn hydropower project.

Participants of the meeting were briefed that the Civil Secretariat, CM House and CM Secretariat have been converted to solar power while 8000 schools, 187 Basic Health Units and 4000 mosques have also been converted to solar power.

PEDO has also converted 300 mosques of merged districts to solar power. It was told that 356 mini micro hydropower projects are completed in Phase I while work is underway on 291 power projects under Phase II.