OUR STAFF REPORTER LAHORE In view of increasing requirements of water and electricity in the country, Wapda has expedited its efforts to develop water and hydropower resources and a number of projects are being executed on priority basis. This was stated by Wapda Member (Power) Muhammad Qasim Khan while addressing a delegation of National Security and War College, Islamabad, headed by Major General Noel I. Khokhar, here at Wapda House on Tuesday. The Member (Power) said that Wapda, after its bifurcation, has been focusing to exploiting the indigenous water and hydropower resources. Referring to the achievements Wapda made in power sector during the last 53 years, he said that Pakistan inherited only 10.6MW of hydel generation capacity in 1947, which has risen to more than 6500 MW at present, while total installed generation capacity from all sources in the system stands at about 21,000 MW. Responding to a question, he said that Wapda has developed a concept paper of ultra mega power parks for induction of a sizeable quantum of electricity in the national grid. Later, Wapda GM (Hydro) Planning Hasnain Afzal and Pepco GM (Coordination & Monitoring) Zia-ur-Rehman briefed the delegation on water and power sectors respectively. Wapda GM (Hydro) Planning apprised the delegation that Wapda has been constructing three dams, two mega canals, six hydropower projects and two drainage schemes, most of them were at advanced stage of completion. The delegation was informed that Wapda was also engaged in carrying out feasibility studies and detailed engineering designs of a number of hydropower projects. with cumulative generation capacity of about 25,000 MW. Pepco GM (Coordination and Monitoring) briefed the delegation about the short, medium and long-term measures being taken to mitigate the power shortage in the country. The delegation was told that 3394 MW generation capacity has been added to the system during the last three years, whereas 2800MW electricity would also be inducted under short-term measures by the year 2013.