Koto Hydropower Project: Pakistan’s Cheapest Electricity Source | Dam Completed

Discover the remarkable Koto Hydropower Project – a 40.8 MW state-of-the-art run-of-the-river hydropower station on the panjkora River (locally known as Koto Gabar) in Adenzai Tehsil, Lower Dir District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

From the German-led feasibility study (2008-2011) that declared it the most economically viable, lowest environmental risk, and highest IRR project in PEDO’s portfolio, to its official inauguration by Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on 17 November 2025 – this is the complete journey of a national asset.

Key highlights covered:
• 4.2 km headrace tunnel excavated through extremely weak phyllite, schist, and quartzite rock, overcoming groundwater inflow of up to 1,200 litres/second
• 550 m steel-lined penstock (Grade X70, 25-40 mm thick)
• Three vertical-shaft Francis turbines (13.6 MW each, 750 rpm, 1.45 m runner diameter) supplied by a Chinese manufacturer
• Fully underground powerhouse for flood protection, security, and preservation of natural beauty
• 28 km 132 kV double-circuit transmission line with 172 towers (including 22 towers on extreme 70° slopes and spans up to 600 m)
• Challenges: 2022 floods, land disputes, security restrictions, COVID supply-chain disruptions, 55%+ PKR devaluation, and cost escalation from PKR 10.73 billion to PKR 21.7 billion
• Final success: Commercial operation began on 1 August 2025; full inauguration on 17 November 2025
• Electricity cost: only PKR 6.5/unit – 4-5 times cheaper than thermal power
• Environmental impact: Prevents 71,100 tons of CO₂ annually (vs gas) and 129,560 tons (vs diesel)
• Future: Expected 12-18% generation increase by 2040 due to glacial melt; five cascade projects planned in the same catchment

With a plant factor of 58% and power from the glacier-fed Hindukush rivers, Koto is not just 40.8 MW – it is a symbol of clean, affordable, indigenous energy and a major step toward Pakistan’s renewable energy self-sufficiency.

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