By Brig Hisamullah Beg Hunzai SI(M)
I am seeking the Government in Gilgit and Baltistan to make a policy decision,meanwhile I have mailed quarries to agencies such as Kuwait Fund, ADB, World Bank.This can have a meaning only if the Government of GB modifies present policy ofallowing “Private Investment with Community involvement limited to 2-Maga Watt and below”.
A simple formula for approximating electric power production at a hydroelectric plant is
P = ρhrgk, where P is Power in watts, ρ is the density of water (~1000 kg/m3), h is height in meters, r is flow rate in cubic meters per second, g is acceleration due to gravity of 9.8 m/s2, and k is a coefficient of efficiency ranging from 0 to 1. Efficiency is often higher (that is, closer to 1) with larger and more modern turbines.Annual electric energy production depends on the available water supply. In some installations the water flow rate can vary by a factor of 10:1 over the course of a year.
The catchment area upriver of the Tarbela Dam is spread over 168,000 square kilometres (65,000 sq mi) of land largely supplemented by snow and glacier melt from the southern slopes of the Himalayas.There are two main Indus River tributaries upstream of the Tarbela Dam. These are the Shyok River, joining near Skardu, and the Siran River near Tarbela. Discharge for Arabian Sea – average 6,600
m3/s (230,000
cu ft/s) approx.
While calculating the potential for Gilgit and Baltistan, the coefficients in the
above equation are as follows:
H= 1500m – 610m (4971ft) – (2001ft) =880m (2970 ft)
R=6,600 m3/s (230,000
cu ft/s)
G=9.8 m/s2
K=0.8
Therefore
P = ρhrgk= 1000*880*6,600*9.8*0.8=45534720000 Watt= 45,534.72 Mega Watt
Even if 50% of this potential is harnessed then it not only meets the energy Needs of Pakistan but would be available for export to other countries. Similarly if the potential in Chitral/Swat/Kaghan/AJK and other river sources is added to this potential on the Indus alone, you can gauge the prospects for the entire country. The leadership : “Please heed to this rather than your coffers”.
Brig Hisamullah Beg SI(M)
According to UNO report Pakistan drain its 60% of natural head from water into indus river basin. Despite the fact that many countries around the world gain a large amount of electricity from hydropower, the disadvantages from hydropower should not be ignored here, some major issues like;
1)Hydropower disrupts the natural flow of rivers.
2)Impedes the natural flow of sediments and salt contents
3)Scour holes
4)Obstacles to fish migration
5)Catastrophic failure
6)The construction of water dams involve the serious inundation of large areas of land and the loss of wildlife habitat.
7)Nevertheless water storage schemes are very costly to build
“Water is for us as oil is for Arabs” once said by king of Bhutan. No doubt electricity generation is the need of the hours for development but it must be economically viable, socially equitable and environmentally sustainable.
Water is essential for power generation in Pakistan, but only about 20% is generated by hydroelectric power plants. The current power shortage of approximately 2,000 megawatts will increase to 6,000 megawatts by the year 2010 and 30,700 megawatts by the year 2020 according to a survey. Pakistan has the potential to generate as much as 50,000 MW of hydroelectric power, more than twice its total current generating capacity of 20,000 MW from all sources, which is far short of the nation’s needs, limiting Pakistan’s social and economic growth prospects. But this deficit is speculated and its well known to all of us, How and Why this artifical power deficit is created.
If the current water utilisation system and power management in Pakistan will remain there will no hope left behind for success even with extra megawatts of power generation.
With a simple hydraulics forumla could not address other major issues. In my view before jumping into digging a new well we must address the issues those responsible for Pakistan’s energy industry nosediving into a dark, uncertain future.
Thanks to realy appreciable note, i think we need to redevelop our leadership, or atleast help our current leaders to take a meaningful decision to help our area to move in a better direction,
People like Brig Hisamullah Beg SI(M) can help our youth understand the situation by group discussions and with the help of corner meetings and community meetings can help spread the message at masses and ultimately Govt will have to meet the demands of the region, and there will be no other option left.
I completely support Mr. Brig Hisamullah Beg SI(M), Bravo to you and our support is with you all times.
YAM
Saleem
The purpose of this post is to raise awareness about future possibilities for people of Gilgit and Baltistan. This natural gift can be a source of unending income and thousands of jobs for our young generation. Just calculate the revenue even if it is charged at Rs 1.00 per unit (against Rs 8.00 now charged in tour electricity bill)
Example : for 10,000.M watt of power the amount will be (1000*24= 240 Billion Rs.per day of 24 Hrs.(one unit of electricity is One-Kilowatt Hr)