STAFF REPORT LHR: In yet another significant development towards completion of the 121 megawatt (MW) – Allai Khwar Hydropower Project, water filling in the reservoir has been started recently. With filling of the reservoir, the project has entered its completion stage, and the project, comprising two generating units of 61.5 MW each, is likely to start electricity generation by next week.
Other main components of the project including a dam (weir), the 2.3-kilometer long steel-lined tunnel, structure of the power house and switchyard have already been completed. This environment-friendly project, on its completion will generate 560 million units of low-cost hydel electricity per annum, which will result in saving millions of dollars on the corresponding generation of costly thermal energy.
Allai Khwar – one of the three high-head hydropower projects – is being constructed on Allai Khwar, a tributary of Indus River in district Battagram of KPK province.
The other two high-head hydropower projects include the 72 MW-Khan Khwar and the 130 MW-Duber Khwar.
The project is part of least-cost energy generation plan of WAPDA being executed on priority to cope with the increasing needs of electricity and water in the country.