VA Tech Hydro has been awarded two new contracts by the Water & Power Development Authority of Pakistan for the first two significant hydro projects on tributaries off the Indus river.

The first contract is worth US$24.9M and will result in the construction of a new hydro power plant on the river Allai Khwar, near Besham in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan. The main equipment will be two Pelton turbines (2 x 62.5) and two generators. The project will also include HV switchgear (220kV and 132kV) and MV switchgear.

The second contract, valued at US$22.7M, will include equipment for a power plant to be built on the river Duber Khwar near Patan. The scope of supply differs from the first project only in terms of power output of the two turbines (2 x 67) and generators and HV switchgear (132kV).

The projects, which will mainly be used to improve the grid stability in the North and Northwest provinces, will be connected to the National Grid through 220kV transmission lines at Mansehra and will produce an annual average of 1.058GWh.