Press Release

Generating Electricity Through Exploiting Hydel

The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry would launch awareness campaign for Kalabagh Dam. Anti-Kalabagh dam elements are not showing the brighter side of the picture and are helping the enemies through opposing this mega project that produce 3600 MW of electricity besides ensuring availability of over 6.1 million hectors feet of water.  In a statement issued here, the LCCI Acting President Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan lamented that even politicians of those areas are chanting slogans against Kalabagh Dam where drought is playing havoc. He cited the example of Tharparker where people are dying just because of unavailability of water. He said that these politicians are mysteriously silent on the repeated threats of Indian Prime Minister that is evidence of the fact that anti-Kalabagh dam elements are actually translating the Indian ambitions. 

The LCCI Acting President said that country needs low-cost power generation therefore all possible measures should be taken on war footing. He said that power generation through thermal means would not be doing any service to the trade, industry and economy even if we start producing 50,000 MW electricity through thermal resources as it would not be affordable for the businessmen. He said that power generation through hydel, gas, furnace oil and nuclear resources costs Rs.1.5, Rs.6.5, Rs. 16.5 and Rs. 5.5 per unit respectively. He said that Kalabagh dam would generate 3500 MW electricity and bring back its construction cost within a few years. He said that dams are a must to control the poverty & hunger. He that the existing dams are constantly silting up leaving ever decreasing capacity to store water therefore there is a dire need to construct more dams.

Muhammad Nasir Hameed Khan said that every one knows that the existing dams are constantly silting up leaving ever decreasing capacity to store water. The construction of Kalabagh dam along with other new dams is desperately needed to store adequate water. According to a conservative estimate about 35 million acre feet of water is being wasted into the sea because the country has no big water reservoirs to store it.

“More importantly, as a result of melting of glaciers due to global warming, a sword of Damocles remains hanging over our heads in the shape of floods. An opinion gained widespread support across the country that the losses of recent floods in Pakistan which are estimated to be more than 45 billion dollars could have been reduced if big dams and water reservoirs were in place”, they added.

The LCCI Acting President said that another significant aspect connected with the construction of Kalabagh Dam is the surety of sufficient amount of electricity at comparatively much cheaper price. The country’s dependence on power generated through thermal sources is costing us way too much causing to face insurmountable challenges to remain competitive both in national and international markets.  Another significant aspect connected with the construction of Kalabagh Dam is the surety of sufficient amount of greener and cheaper electricity. Electricity generation through thermal sources is estimated to cost almost Rs.16 per unit whereas the same can be produced at Rs.2.5 to Rs.3 through Hydel. He said that the present scenario leads to import oil worth over US$ 12 billion a year which is costing us dearly while causing to face insurmountable challenges to remain competitive both in national and international markets.