‘No hydel power unit installed over 32 years’
* Qazalbash says Pakistan has massive generation capacity, but lacks infrastructure
By Zeeshan Javaid
ISLAMABAD: Three military dictators failed to install a single unit for hydel power generation, increasing the gap between demand and supply and leading to inflated rates, Planning Commission Energy Working Group Chairman Imtiaz Ali Qazalbash told Daily Times on Monday.
After a consultative workshop on ‘Medium Term Alternative and Renewable Energy Policy’, Qazalbash said while the country had the capacity to generate more than 56,000 megawatts through hydro projects, no new hydropower projects were installed over the last 32 years because of the apathetic attitude of governments and military dictators.
He said in addition to Kalabagh Dam, the government should pay special attention to other hydropower projects as well, especially Basho, Bunji and Dasu on Indus River.
Qazalbash expressed apprehensions over the high slab rates in the energy sector.
“Once again, Pakistan is faced with an energy crisis... this time more serious than ever. It is not only because of a shortage of generation capacity; it is also the crippling effect of oil prices on the economy... with indigenous resources such hydroelectricity, waterways and coal not being utilised,” according to him.
Qazalbash said that at the time of Independence, Pakistan had little electric power. He said power development started with the addition of the 20-megawatt Dargai Hydroelectric Power Station in 1954. The Warsak hydroelectric power station and the Piranghaib natural gas power station in Multan, both with a capacity of about 260 megawatts, were completed in 1960
Amazing - what a waste of 3 decades!
