PESHAWAR: The slow pace of work on the under-construction projects in Shangla and other districts of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa two years further delayed the energy projects, the mostly projects completion dates have been passed, 17 MW Ranolia project completed in 2015 yet to hand over to the WAPDA due to its lesser production against installed 17MW capacity.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government budgeted five energy projects are underway in the province different districts including 11.80 megawatt Karora Project which was scheduled to be made operational in 2020 and the feasibility study of Karora Hydropower Project was completed in August 2011 later on the construction of the project started in December 2014.
The same situation of delay has been witnessed in the 84MW Gorkin Matiltan Hydropower Project Kalam, the project tentative date of completion according to the PEDO website is July 31 2023 but 60 percent of work of the project is pending.
The 10.2MW Jabori hydro-power project is being constructed on the Siran river in Mansehra but it has also delayed due to its slow pace of work.
According to the sources in the PEDO, the 17 Megwatt Ranolia hydropower project in Lower Kohistan which had completed in 2014 but despite the passage of seven years it is not handed over to the WAPDA as yet.
The sources says it was built to be producing 17 megawatt but after the NTDC of Wapda test it was producing 8.6MW electricity since then the WAPDA did not hand over it.
Syed Aziz Ahmad, Resident Engineer at Ranolia HPP, when contacted, he told that initially there were some issues at WAPDA end and its authorities were not handing taking it but now it has been handed over to the Wapda in September 2021.
Replying to a question, he confirmed that there was low production issue in the site was unable to produce 17MW energy but now the issue has been resolved and made it functional.
However, a former official of the project, claimed that still the Wapda team did not finalise the project, however, it was connected to the national grid station but due to low production the dispute between Wapda and Pedo continued and a team from WAPDA would conduct the test once more.
He said there was a negligence on the Pedo and construction company side hence it was delayed for seven years due to low production, pylons installation also took more time.
Similarly, the pace of work is also slow on the Koto Hydropower project, being constructed at Koto area of Timergara Lower dir district.
Engineer Wali Muhammad, an expert told that timely completion of these projects can take out the country from electricity shortage and also could contribute to generate a huge revenue to end economic crises of the Pakistan.
He said it was the best ever initiative of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government but slow pace of work and negligence could cause heavy loss to the government.
