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ISLAMABAD, Jan 09 (APP):Speakers at day long International Hydropower Conference while terming sustainable energy critical for development of any country on Thursday stressed the need for harnessing the untapped hydel potential to meet Pakistan’s future growing energy demands.
The 4th International Hydropower Conference 2025, hosted by Energy Update in collaboration with the Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB) and the International Hydropower Association, brought together industry leaders, policymakers, and global experts to discuss hydropower’s transformative role in shaping a sustainable energy future for Pakistan.
The speakers highlighted various challenges, including the significant financing and long timelines required to construct large dams and establish hydropower projects.
Speaking at the conference, Senator Sherry Rehman said that sustainable, affordable energy is vital for the country’s development. “Pakistan has immense hydropower potential,” she said.
She emphasized the urgent need for Pakistan to harness its hydropower potential and shift toward renewable energy to ensure a sustainable and resilient energy future. Due to Pakistan’s critical energy challenges in the face of escalating climate disruptions and population growth, Senator Rehman underscored the role of hydropower as a cornerstone of the country’s energy transition.
“Energy is not just power; it is wealth, stability, and the foundation of modern civilization,” stated Senator Rehman. “As the fifth most populous country in the world, Pakistan cannot achieve sustainable growth without a reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy supply. Unfortunately, we remain heavily reliant on energy imports, and the escalating costs and supply chain disruptions due to conflicts are intensifying our energy crisis,” she said.
Senator Rehman drew attention to Pakistan’s commitment to climate action, referencing its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, which aim for 60% renewable energy by 2030. She underscored the country’s clean energy mix, which already sees over 55% of electricity generated from hydropower and nuclear energy, calling for further investments in smaller and medium-sized dams, which she described as “the path to a sustainable hydropower future.”
Senator Rehman painted a stark picture of the climate challenges facing Pakistan, including erratic monsoons, water scarcity, and reliance on glacial melt from the Indus River system.
“The 2022 monsoons were unprecedented in scale, stretching human and institutional capacity to its limits. Recovery from such climate-induced disasters has brought invaluable lessons, but we must do more to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and focus on clean, renewable energy sources,” she said.
Emphasizing the untapped potential of hydropower, Senator Rehman noted that Pakistan has a capacity of 64 GW but is only utilizing 10,852 MW. “This is a colossal, missed opportunity,” she said. “Smaller dams offer a more sustainable, consistent, and cost-effective approach to meet our energy needs, especially for agriculture and livestock economies. We must shift our focus to the north, where the hydropower potential is vast and largely unexplored.”
She urged collaborative efforts between local governments, communities, and international stakeholders to bring renewable projects to financial close.
Managing Director of PPIB, Dr. Shah Jehan Mirza, revealed that of the total identified 64,000 MW hydropower potential in Pakistan, only 11,000 MW is currently being utilized. He explained that while hydropower projects have significant benefits, they typically take 7-8 years to complete, and lenders are often reluctant to finance such large-scale initiatives. However, he noted the government’s success in attracting substantial investment in the power sector, citing the Karot and Sukki Kinari hydropower projects as examples. Mirza added that Pakistan is not performing poorly, as green energy accounts for 52% of its total energy mix. The government has also planned to phase out old thermal plants with a combined capacity of 7,000 MW.
Malaysian High Commissioner Dato’ Mohammad Azhar Mazlan commended the conference organizers and emphasized that energy is the backbone of a country’s economy. He remarked that, like Pakistan, Malaysia is blessed with abundant natural resources and generates electricity through hydropower, gas, and other sources. Mazlan stressed the need to develop indigenous technology for hydropower generation and praised Pakistan’s “Uraan Pakistan” program under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
General Manager of WAPDA, Tanveer Mujahid, underscored the importance of clean and green energy for the country’s development. “WAPDA is committed to a strategic vision of tapping Pakistan’s hydropower potential,” he said. Mujahid explained that hydropower currently constitutes 30% of the total energy mix, and WAPDA is actively pursuing various projects to add more clean energy to the system. He shared that around 10,000 MW of clean energy will be added to the national grid through projects like Diamer Basha Dam (4,500 MW), Mohmand Dam (800 MW), Dasu Stage 1 (2,150 MW), and Tarbela 5th Extension Project (1,510 MW). He added that these projects would also support food security by ensuring water availability for agriculture.
CEO of TNB REMACO, Hafiz Isahak, highlighted his organization’s expertise in providing maintenance, repair, diagnostic, and project management services for the power sector in Malaysia and other countries, including Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. He shared examples of their partnerships in Pakistan, such as the Balloki Combined Cycle Power Plant (1,223 MW) and the New Bong Escape Hydropower Plant (84 MW).
Dr. Muzammil Zia, focal person for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), described CPEC as a game-changer for Pakistan’s power sector. He noted that 17 power projects with a combined capacity of 9,000 MW were established under CPEC’s early harvest plan, including the 720 MW Karot and 840 MW Sukki Kinari hydropower projects.
Other speakers, including GM of China International Group Company Wang Huihua and Dr. Jehanzeb Nasir, addressed the prospects and challenges facing hydropower projects in Pakistan.
Earlier, M. Naeem Qureshi, Managing Editor of Energy Update, welcomed participants to the conference and described it as a milestone in promoting the hydropower sector in the country.