PESHAWAR, January 17, 2025 – Ten major hydropower projects with a combined capacity of 781 MW in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) are facing significant delays, sparking concerns over missed deadlines and potential cost overruns.
Three projects, including the Koto, Jabori, and Karora Hydropower Projects, have already surpassed their completion timelines despite nearing final stages of construction. Seven other projects, including the 300MW Balakot and 84MW Gorkin Matiltan projects, have also failed to meet their scheduled targets.
The Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO), responsible for overseeing these initiatives, has come under fire for its inability to deliver on time.
During a recent meeting, KP’s Secretary for Energy and Power, Zubair Khan, expressed strong dissatisfaction over the persistent delays, urging PEDO and relevant authorities to address bottlenecks immediately. He emphasized the critical importance of these projects to the province’s energy future and warned against further setbacks.
Key delayed projects include:
Koto HPP (40.8MW, Rs13,998.89 million): 98.5% complete; deadline passed in October 2024.
Jabori HPP (10.2MW, Rs4,188.26 million): 99% complete; deadline passed in December 2024.
Karora HPP (11.8MW, Rs6,992.77 million): 96.7% complete; deadline passed in December 2024.
The ongoing delays across the hydropower sector raise serious questions about project management and execution, posing challenges to KP’s energy goals.
Story by Arshad Aziz Malik
