Do you think Hydropower is Sustainable?
If so, what are the criteria of the SHD (Sustainable Hydropower Development)?
The total Hydropower resource in Pakistan is estimated at about 50,000 MW. Most of the resources are located in the North of the country, which offers sites for large scale (100 MW to 7,000 MW) power projects. Smaller (less than 50 MW) sites are available throughout the country. In addition, canal system with total of 58,450 km watercourses, farm channels and field ditchers running another 160,000 km in length has a huge hydropower potential at numerous sites/locations on each site, ranging from 1 MW to more than 10 MW hydro plants can be installed.
The total installed hydro capacity was 6 481 MW, almost exactly one-third of total national generating capacity. According to Hydropower & Dams World Atlas, Pakistan has a gross theoretical hydro potential of approximately 475 TWh/yr, of which some 204 TWh/yr is regarded as technically feasible. The main potential sources of hydropower are on the rivers Indus and Jhelum, plus sites at Swat and Chitral.
Hydro capacity in operation included major plants at Tarbela (3 478 MW), Ghazi Barotha (1 450 MW) and Mangla (1 000 MW); gross hydro-electric output during the year was 27.7 TWh, accounting for 30% of Pakistan’s electricity generation.
In 2009 the 969 MW Neelum Jhelum hydro scheme and various smaller schemes in the 70-130 MW bracket were reported to be moving ahead. Several huge public sector projects – including Bunji (7 100 MW), Diamer Basha (4 500 MW) and Dasu (4 320 MW), all sited on the Indus – are being developed, as well as private-sector schemes such as Kohala (1 100 MW) on the Jhelum. Total hydro capacity reported to be under construction in early 2009 was some 1 600 MW. About 17 000 MW of additional hydro capacity is planned for construction starts over the next ten years.
HDWA quotes Pakistan’s small-scale (1-22 MW) hydro potential as 302 GWh/yr, but states that only 68 MW out of an installed capacity of 107 MW is actually in operation. A total of 350 MW of small hydro capacity is reported to be planned.
Hydropower is cheapest electricity source in Pakistan
[World Energy Council]
Dear Dr. M. Ahmad,
I'm amazing for your valuable answer with the specific data of the Hydropower scenario in Pakistan.
Of course, we love Hydropower, the cheapest fuel for electricity generation.
Big Thanks!!!
Best regards
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