Project Brief

The Daral Khwar Hydropower project is a tunnel-diversion type hydropower project and is constructed on Daral Khwar Nullah, a right tributary of River Swat near Bahrain Town, in the District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Daral Khwar Hydropower Project, is run-of-the-river scheme for generation of hydropower through diversion of water through a waterway and penstock into a powerhouse having a total installed capacity of 36.6 MW. Main components of the project include; Weir, Intake Structure, Connection Tunnel, Gravel Spill, Sand Trap, Headrace Tunnel, Surge Chamber, Penstock Tunnel, Valve Chamber, Embedded Penstock, Powerhouse, Tailrace, Switchyard, 132 KV & 11 KV Transmission Lines, and Residential and other Buildings. The annual energy production is 154 GWh (154 Million Units). Being a run-of-the-river scheme, the power generation varies in accordance with the availability of historic design discharge for generation.

Daral Khwar Hydropower Project was completed in 2019 and interconnected with National Grid through 132 kV Madyan Grid Station. The power generated is being sold to NTDC under an Energy Purchase Agreement (EPA) with NTDC for 30 years. The rate for sale of power to NTDC has been determined by NEPRA. The Project had achieved its Commercial Operation Date (COD) on May 26, 2021. It has generated so far, revenue of more than Two Billion Rupees. The NEPRA had granted tariff of Rs 0.22/kWh for Pre-COD units. 

Challenges Faced During Year (2022-23)

Heavy rainfall in August 26, 2022 resulted flash flood across the country. The power station suffered extensive damages due to very high flood of 238995 cusec. Due to the flood damages, the Daral Khwar Hydropower Complex ceased to produce energy. To prevent a loss of revenue to the Government Exchequer, water way restoration for energy generation was carried out on emergency basis in a limited budget of Rs. 44.657 Million. The Power Complex was re-synchronized with the National grid on September 25, 2022.

The devastating floods of 2022 have severely damaged the infrastructure at the diversion weir site along with its flood protection arrangements. Beside this the adjacent right-side meandering of flood flows have caused deep erosion of land and main Kalam Road on immediate up stream of power house and its staff colony. PC-I amounting to Rs. 3,305.39 million was immediately framed and submitted to the Provincial Government for arrangement of funds which could not be arranged up till now due to financial crunch and ban on approval of PC-I during the tenure of Care Taker government.

Innovations & Achievements

Achievements

The flood of August 2022 washed away 8 No. of PESCO 132-KV towers in the span between Madyan and Khwazakhela in a total blackout. Moreover, the power from 36.6 MW Daral Khwar Hydropower Station is evacuated to the national Grid through this route. The rehabilitation of PESCO 132 KV transmission line took a long time and back feed supply for DKHPC was restored on 21.9.2022. the Powerhouse was synchronized with the National Grid within four days after the availability of 132 KV PESCO transmission line.

Keeping in view of the obvious threat of expected damages to the power house by the future flood the essential nature of flood protection work was taken in hand on emergency basis as decided during that joint visit of Secretary E&P and CEO on January 20, 2023. The emergent protection comprising of channel section in river bed and RCC protection wall has almost been completed before current flood season through AM&R grants.

PEDO for the first time is running the project through its own staff who are operating it successfully since its energization; thus, is saving a huge cost of O&M out sourcing.