April 29, 2014
The Khan Khwar Hydropower Plant, situated near the town of Besham in the Shangla District of KPK Province, is a run-of-the-river project built on the Khan Khwar River, a right-bank tributary of the Indus River. It is conveniently located approximately 265 km from Islamabad, the federal capital, and 350 km from Peshawar, the provincial capital.
This project boasts a total electricity generation capacity of 72 MW. It comprises two vertical Francis turbine units, each with a capacity of 34 MW, and an additional unit of 4 MW installed at the Khan Khwar Hydroelectric Station. On average, this hydropower plant has an annual generation capacity of 595 million units (GWh) of affordable electricity. The turbines used in this project were manufactured by Dongfang Electric Machinery Co. Ltd. The successful completion of the Khan Khwar Hydropower Plant was made possible with the technical assistance of Chinese corporations, particularly Sinohydro Corporation, through a consortium consisting of both local and Chinese firms.
Construction of the Khan Khwar Hydropower Plant commenced in April 2003 and was successfully completed in April 2012. The Power House has been in commercial operation since November 2010, contributing to the generation and distribution of electricity. Subsequently, on 14 July 2012, the project was officially inaugurated, marking a significant milestone in the region's efforts to harness renewable energy and enhance its power infrastructure.
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