Peshawar   -   Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Sardar Ali Amin Gandapur has emphasized the importance of the 300 MW Balakot Hydro Power Project (BHPP) in making the province self-sufficient in electricity. He directed relevant authorities to immediately address any obstacles to ensure the project’s fast-track execution, assuring that the provincial government would provide full support for its timely completion.

The Chief Minister urged the Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) and the construction company to resolve all issues promptly to avoid further delays. He was chairing a meeting of the Energy and Power Department at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Friday, attended by senior officials from the Energy and Power Department, PEDO, and representatives of the international firm working on the project.

During the briefing, it was disclosed that the BHPP, to be completed in seven years at an estimated cost of Rs 95 billion, will produce 1143 GWH of electricity annually from three 100 MW powerhouses. The project is expected to generate Rs 15 billion in revenue each year.

The project includes the construction of dams, powerhouses, tunnels, residential colonies, and access roads. In addition to generating electricity, the BHPP will create employment opportunities to help alleviate unemployment in the region. Participants were informed that 11.5% of the physical work and 22% of the financial progress had been completed, with the land acquisition process fully finalized.