ISLAMABAD, Sep 8 (ABC):The government is embarking on an ambitious plan to replace 9,000 MW electricity being generated on costly fossil fuel with clean and low-cost hydel energy.
Official sources told APP here Thursday that currently the share of costly thermal based electricity in total energy mix stood at around 70 per cent.
Keeping in view, the high prices of imported fuel at the international market, the government has planned to switch towards indigenous sources including low cost hydel.
4500 MW Diamer Basha dam, 4200 MW Dasu, 1530 MW Tarbela 5th Extension hydropower, Mohmand dam and Keyal Khwar Hydropower projects etc were launched to enhance share of hydel in total energy mix besides replacing costly imported fuel based power plants, they said.
They said these projects would drastically cut the electricity generation through fossil fuel in the country.
These projects were mostly multiple purposed and would not only generate low cost hydel electricity but also store water besides mitigating flash floods which brought havoc in the entire country during the current monsoon season.