CHENGDU (China): Fool-proof security arrangements made for Chinese workers and engineers engaged in the construction of Koto hydropower project at Timergara in Lower Dir coupled with administrative support by the government departments concerned would hopefully make the project operational some three months earlier than the stipulated time.

Zhou Dong, a senior of ficial associated with the Sichuan Province Geological Engineering Complex (SPGEC), the company assigned for the job under an agreement, told APP recently that the project with a capacity to generate 40.8 megawatts of electricity would be operational by early 2019.

`It is because of the absolute commitment and support at every level that we have been able to complete a part of the dam and are hopeful to get the project completed someCHENGDU (China): Fool-proof security arrangements made for Chinese workers and engineers engaged in the construction of Koto hydropower project at Timergara in Lower Dir coupled with administrative support by the government departments concerned would hopefully make the project operational some three months earlier than the stipulated time.

Zhou Dong, a senior of ficial associated with the Sichuan Province Geological Engineering Complex (SPGEC), the company assigned for the job under an agreement, told APP recently that the project with a capacity to generate 40.8 megawatts of electricity would be operational by early 2019.

`It is because of the absolute commitment and support at every level that we have been able to complete a part of the dam and are hopeful to get the project completed somethree months earlier than the envisaged date,` said Mr Zhou.

In reply to a question, he said the total working period of the project was 48 months and while the contract was signed in January 2015, the work was initiated in August 2015 and since then SPGEC was actively engaged in the construction work on Panjkora River upstream.

The official said his company had signed another contract in October to build the Lawi hydropower project, also in Dir area, with a capacity to generate 69MW of electricity.

The Koto project launched under the Annual Development Programme and supported by the Asian Development Bank with the KP Energy Development Bureau as the major stakeholder will be completed at a cost of Rs14.765 billion.-APP