The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government is developing its own transmission and grid system to improve electricity supply and meet the growing energy requirements of the province’s industrial sector.
Chief Minister Sohail Afridi was briefed on the project during a meeting reviewing ongoing initiatives and key matters related to the Energy and Power Department.
Afridi said KP should receive its constitutional share from its hydropower and other natural resources, highlighting the province’s contribution to Pakistan’s overall energy supply.
According to officials, KP currently contributes more than 70% of Pakistan’s total hydropower generation to the national grid. However, the province does not have its own transmission network, forcing it to sell electricity through the existing national system.
The chief minister directed officials to present the proposed provincial transmission line project at an investors’ conference. He described the project as highly profitable and said several countries had expressed interest in investing in it.
The proposed system is expected to give KP greater control over the transmission of electricity generated within the province and support energy requirements for industrial development.
Officials also briefed the meeting on KP’s production of natural gas, LPG and crude oil.
The province produces around 530 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, while its daily consumption is approximately 200 million cubic feet.
KP also produces around 850 tons of LPG per day, compared with consumption of about 600 tons. The province accounts for approximately 48% of Pakistan’s crude oil production and 38% of its LPG production.
Afridi directed the relevant departments to raise KP’s energy and natural resource rights with the federal government through a formal and effective mechanism.
The provincial government believes greater control over its energy infrastructure and resources could help improve electricity supply, attract investment and support industrial growth in KP.
