Balakot HPP to generate Rs15bn annually for KP, says provincial minister

Work on the 300 MW Balakot Hydropower Project in Mansehra district is advancing quickly, Business Recorder reported, citing remarks by Provincial Minister for Energy and Power Nazir Ahmad Abbasi. The project, the largest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is being financed with support from the Asian Development Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Once operational, it is expected to bring in Rs15 billion a year for the province.

At a certificate ceremony at PEDO House in Peshawar, the minister marked the close of a training course for PEDO staff under the project's Community Support and Development Program. CEO Engineer Anwarul Haq and senior officers attended the event. A briefing there said completion is scheduled within the next six years, with work being carried out by Chinese firm Gazoba China and Turkish consultant Dolsar.

Abbasi praised the training for field staff, particularly teams working on the project, calling it highly important. He said the project would be finished on schedule while keeping quality standards in mind. He also asked that similar training be carried out on other projects to strengthen the capacity of field staff.