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Community-managed micro-hydro projects in Northern Pakistan by Muhammad Saleem


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Boiling Point
Front cover of Boiling Point issue 39
Issue 39 (1997) Using biomass residues for energy
ArticleCommunity-managed micro-hydro projects in Northern Pakistan
AuthorMuhammad Saleem
The Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) started rural development initiatives in the Northern areas and the Chitral District of the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan in 1982. This area is surrounded by high mountain ranges, such as Karako-rum, Hindu Kush, Himalayas and Pamirs. It is the most inaccessible, least developed area of Pakistan because of political division and its geography and topography.

The mountains are covered by snow for half the year during the winter. A great number of natural springs, lakes and glaciers develop as a result of snow deposits on the high mountain plateaus. These natural sources of water feed the downstream nullahs (gullies), waterfalls and rivers throughout the year. The steep downstream flow has great potential to generate hydro-power in the area which overall has an estimated programme capacity of 50 000 MW hydro-power of which only 50 MW has been exploited. Fuelwood, from both natural and commercial plantations, is the major source of energy but is becoming scarcer with the passage of time. The scarcity of the traditional source of energy has been badly affected by two factors:
  • The rapid population increase and its resulting pressure on the natural forests
  • The absence of regeneration of these natural forests
The tree and vegetation cover is gradually disappearing, resulting in serious environmental degradation, which is a global concern, whilst the overall rate of energy consumption is increasing in the range of 5-10% per annum.

[top] [end]AKRSP programme for Village Organizations

Within this region, out of a total of 137 micro-hydro plants, the AKRSP has established 28 micro-hydros with an installed capacity of 619kW. Initially, in 1986, these plants started as research and demonstration units. These projects were extended to Village Organizations (VOs) and became participatory projects. A Village Organization (VO) is a body of villagers who have organized themselves around a common interest.

After formation, each village organization signed a partnership with AKRSP to abide by all terms and conditions necessary for the village development. The entire responsibility of implementation was passed on to the VOs. AKRSP provided the negotiated cost of the plants and technical input required during the construction period. All the VOs completed the civil work of the plants. They purchased and transported machinery from other parts of Pakistan. The VO members provided subsidized or free unskilled labour and locally produced building material.
Figure 1: Schematic drawing of a micro-hydro plant.
Figure 1: Schematic drawing of a micro-hydro plant.
Design of the micro-hydro plants

The design of all six plants is very simple; each plant comprises a set of diversions, channels, forebays (small reservoirs), small powerhouses, penstock pipes, turbines and very simple outlets (see Figure 1). The transmission line is just supported by wooden poles
  • Diversions
The diversions have been constructed using boulders, stones, tree branches and gravel on the nullahs and main irrigation channels.
  • Channels
The channels to take water from the main source have been constructed by digging out earth, stones and gravel. The side walls of the channels have been built using mud and dry stones. They measure between 150 metres and 400 metres in length.
  • Forebays
The forebays vary in size from 4' x 5' x 6' to 6' x 7' x 8' and are constructed of mud and stones. In one instance, the forebay has been cemented.
  • Power houses
Single room power houses made of mud, stones and local timber accommodate turbines, generators and power panel boards.
Figure 2: Generator at Pari micro-hydro plant, Gilgit
Figure 2: Generator at Pari micro-hydro plant, Gilgit


  • Types of turbine
The turbines have been designed by AKRSP engineers to meet each site specification; availability of head, discharge and power demand. Four are cross-flow turbines, one is a pelton wheel and one is tubular. All were manufactured in workshops in Rawalpindi, Lahore and Peshawar.
  • Penstock pipes
The penstock pipes vary in both length and diameter. The minimum length of pipe is 15 metres and the maximum is 237 metres. The diameters vary from 6" to l6".
  • Generators
The generators are imported from China and have power ratings from 2Kw to 100Kw (see Figure 2). No automatic governing system has been installed; the power load is controlled by a gate valve which is operated manually.
  • Distribution wire
Aluminium wire has been used for the distribution of power. The wire is supported on locally produced wooden poles.
  • Transformers
Power is distribution up to 3Km. Very minor voltage losses are sustained by the beneficiaries, so in all but one case no transformers have been needed (see Figure 3).
Figure 3: Distribution, in this instance a transformer is needed
Figure 3: Distribution, in this instance a transformer is needed


[top] [end]Operation and maintenance

VOs have formed electricity committees or elected managers for handling all the post-completion affairs of the plants. These committees or managers appoint plant operators, decide plant operating hours and fix electricity prices, based either per unit consumed or per bulb fixed per house. The salaries of the operators and operation and maintenance costs are usually met from the income received from consumers. In addition, members contribute to the cost of major repairs.

[top] [end]Domestic end uses of electricity

The six VOs where the plants have been studied use electricity mainly for lighting. Within each house, installation of electric bulbs varies between one and six bulbs. For example, in the VO of Sarrat, in Hunza, the members have decided to fix only one bulb in each house because of the low power generation. On the other hand, in the village of Ahmed Abad, a maximum of six bulbs can be fixed by a household. The VO members have fixed standard meters and the consumers are charged a fixed price per Kilowatt from the meter reading.

In three of the studied VOs, where there is sufficient power available, electricity is used for playing radios and tape recorders, TV sets, operating electric irons, washing machines, butter churns (see Figure 4), electric heaters, electric cooking stoves and electric fans. In the remaining three VOs where the average installed electrical power is 0.1 kW, 0.2kw and 0.3kW, it is very difficult to diversify the existing use of electricity for running appliances other than lighting.

In all the VOs studied, the demand for hydro-energy is greater than the supply. In all these areas, the members interviewed wished they could use electricity for operating
  • electric stoves
  • room heaters
  • water-heating geyzers
  • nut-cracking machines
  • spinning wheels
The first three of these activities require large amounts of fuel wood, which is scarce and expensive in these areas. Nut-cracking and spinning are undertaken by women and are physically very demanding and time consuming.

[top] [end]Social benefits

In the six studied VOs, micro-hydros have brought a tremendous change to the social life of the communities. Electricity has replaced kerosene and is preferred as it is cleaner. People sit up longer at night and visit relatives and friends more frequently, discussing social and developmental concerns. These social gatherings have also proved helpful in solving conflicts between and within households. These evening gatherings have also encouraged women to participate and exchange ideas more regularly. Previously, schoolchildren could not study late into the evening; now they can use electric lighting and study for longer.
Figure 4: An electric butter churn
Figure 4: An electric butter churn


The effect of micro-hydros is particularly beneficial for women who traditionally are responsible for collecting fuel wood from the high distant regions, churning butter and washing the clothes. The introduction of powered machines has relieved women from much of the drudgery associated with these tasks. In other ways, women's workload has increased; many sit late hours making handicrafts in addition to their existing workload. However, this increases their income, and they control the money they earn from selling their handicrafts at market.

[top] [end]Environmental effects

The projects do not have adverse effects on the water supply of either downstream or upstream villages as large dams have not been constructed for these plants. Instead, in each case, a simple diversion from the main channel or nullah has been constructed. At the top of the plant, a simple, small forebay has been built, from where water is directed into the penstock pipe and turbine.

Electricity has made it possible for families to keep the house atmosphere cleaner.

Those studied hoped that the diversified use of electricity for operating electric cooking stoves, heaters and water boilers would reduce the demand for fuel wood and thus reduce, pressure on both the natural forests and plantations.

Concern that sawmills using hydro-electricity would lead to further deforestation have been alleviated by the establishment of conservation rules governing timber-cutting. The VO members who disobey the forest conservation rules and cut timber illegally are fined.

[top] [end]Conclusions

The Programme area has great potential for hydro-power development. The response of the VOs to micro-hydro projects has been encouraging and small, inaccessible villages can be provided with electrical energy. The projects are implemented and managed by the VOs themselves. The beneficiaries can easily meet the recurring costs from the incomes generated from electricity sale. However, the low cost charged for electricity makes capital costs too great to be economically viable.

However, analysis suggests that the projects should not be looked at in terms of income directly earned from the sale of electricity. Micro-hydro contributes an important role in overall rural development; it mobilizes rural resources, develops rural industries thereby creating employment, reduces the workload for women, and improves the overall and home environment.

[top] [end]Contents: Boiling Point 39: Using biomass residues for energy

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Using biomass residues for energy - Briquetting agricultural residues - Briquetting of biomass residues in India using a Beehive Pyrolyser and briquetting machine - Briquettes in Sudan - An introduction to the reality of household fuel needs in Bangladesh - Sawdust utilization - experiences in Mutare, Zimbabwe - Biomass resources use in tea plantations in Sri Lanka - Development of cooking-cum-heating stoves in the upland of North Vietnam - Fuelwood as a source of urban household energy in Ethiopia - A supply perspective - Community-managed micro-hydro projects in Northern Pakistan - The low wattage cooker - the Nepal experience - Routes for commercialization of rural stoves - Thermally efficient improved wood-burning metal cooking stove - The Women and Energy Project for stove dissemination in Kenya - crossing the sustainability bridge

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Page created: 03 August 2007; Last edited: 02 December 2008; Version: 3
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Pagename: Community-managedMicro-hydroProjectsInNorthernPakistan @HEDON: TGGA