Pakistan to inaugurate first hydropower IPP

Pakistans first hydropower Independent Power Producer (IPP) in Azad Jammu and Kashmir with capacity to generate (84MW) 470 million Kilowatt per annum would be inaugurated on Monday, said an official press release. According to the press release, Bong Escape Hydroelectric Run of the River project on Jhelum River in Azad Jammu and Kashmir would be most likely to be inaugurated by Prime Minister of Pakistan, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif. The 84MW run-of-the-rivers New Bong Escape Hydropower Project would replace approximately 135,000 tons of oil import valued in excess of USD 100 million per annum. The project would contribute 540 Gwh of green energy annually into the National Grid under a 25-year PPA with NTDC. Hubco is also poised to be the first IPP to convert its power station to coal to provide even cheaper energy than at present and save hundreds of millions of dollars being spent on oil imports every year, said the press release. The Asian Development Bank and other lending banks, multilateral IDB, IFC and Proparco France and two domestic commercial banks NBP and HBL, played a very pro-active and constructive role in structuring the project and finance documents.