MANGLA: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan is in dire need of generating cheap electricity as energy import bill exorbitantly touched $ 27 billion.

Addressing inaugural ceremony of refurbishment project of units 5 and 6 of Mangla Dam Hydroelectric Power Plant carried out with support of United States Agency for International Development (USAID) He said Pakistan, which was already facing immense challenges of economic stability could not bear heavy costs of energy import bills and thus needed to utilise alternative sources of electricity production. He regretted that in 75 years, both democratic and military rulers were responsible for not building sufficient dams to meet energy needs. “Had water reservoirs built on time, country’s energy import bill would not have swelled to $ 27 billion,” he said, pointing out that “Powerful lobbies and cartels” did not let materialise construction of dams and launch of solar power projects. He termed assistance of USAID for refurbishment of units of Mangla Dam as “Wonderful example of cooperation” between Pakistan and United States.

He lauded valuable grant of $ 150 million by USAID along with financial support by Development Agency of France amounting to 90 million euros besides another pledge of 65 million euros. Also, Water and Power Development Authority contributed $ 178 million from its own resources, he said. He expressed satisfaction over interest of US to carry out an extension programme of country’s largest Tarbela Dam. United States Ambassador Donald Blome said Mangla Dam is great symbol of US-Pakistan cooperation and added that US was also assisting WAPDA in increasing power generation capacity of Tarbela and Gomal Zam dams. He said maintenance and upgrades of dams were of critical importance in wake of climate change and expressed hope that green alliance between two countries would prove beneficial for energy and agriculture sectors of Pakistan. General Electric Hydro France Project Director said despite challenges of Covid-19, suspended projects of refurbishment were carried out effectively. He mentioned that six more units of Mangla Dam would also be refurbished in future. Chairman Water and Power Development Authority Lt Gen (retd) Sajjad Ghani said refurbishment of units of Mangla Dam was in line with keen interest of federal government to provide clean, green and cheap energy to people of country. Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Special Assistant to PM Tariq Fatemi, Secretary Water and Power Division Hassan Nisar and senior officials were present.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 06 2022

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