ISLAMABAD: Five hydel power projects, with a capacity to produce over 5,789 MW power, would be completed by 2016, said an official of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).

According to an official of WAPDA, the power would help meet the energy requirements of the country.

He said the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project on River Indus is a "lifeline" for national economy, which will go a long way in meeting future agricultural and electricity requirements.

He said Diamer-Basha Dam has three important objectives, including flood control, power generation and storage of water. The gigantic project will generate 4500 megawatts electricity and store over eight million acre feet of water to meet growing power and irrigation needs, he said.

The Golen Gol Hydropower Project, being constructed by the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) in district Chitral of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, will complete in 2015 and will produce 106 MW.

Golen Project is a part of least-cost energy generation plan of government, being executed by WAPDA on priority basis to harness the indigenous hydropower resources of the country to improve the ratio of hydel electricity in the National Grid, help reduce electricity tariff and provide relief to the consumers.

On its completion, the project will contribute about 436 million units of electricity to the system.

The Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric Project is being constructed over river Neelum and the project, once completed, will contribute about 5.15 billion units of electricity annually to the National Grid. Annual benefits of the project have been estimated at Rs. 30 billion.

The Hydroelectric Neelum Jhelum project would be completed in 2016.

The said Neelum-Jhelum Hydroelectric project would help the country in meeting its growing energy requirements. The project would produce 969 mw electricity.

The Duber Khwar Hydropower Project is located on Khan Khwar River, right bank tributary of Indus River near Pattan District Kohistan in Khyber PakhtunKhwa province at a distance of 265 Km from Islamabad. Duber Khwar would produce 130 mw power.

He said tenderof Kurram hydropower project has already been floated and engineering design is complete.

The project would produce 84 MW power and it will be completed wihthin 48 months.

Source: APP