Red tape hampering small hydro projects

ISLAMABAD: The sponsors of small hydropower projects under 50 megawatts generation capacity have complained to the prime minister over the bureaucratic red tape hampering the development of renewable domestic resources.

In a letter to the prime minister, Hydro Electric Power Association (Hepa) — a group of local sponsors — has also appealed to the prime minister to intervene in the matter and appoint a probe commission led by former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi who is also chairman task force on energy or Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal to find out causes for the inordinate institutional delays in the development of local resources despite supporting government policies in place and loss of foreign exchange on expensive imported fuels.

It demanded that the proposed commission should also engage with the sponsors of small hydropower projects and come out with an impartial conclusion over the whole situation based on which the government should move for a way out that was in the interest of the nation and consumers.

The association said the country’s energy needs were growing at around 8pc per annum and two major policy initiatives like access to private money and indigenous alternative energy such as solar, wind and hydro would play a key role.

However, it complained to the prime minister that the development of small hydropower projects (less than 50MW) was not encouraged by the bureaucratic federal government.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2022