TITTLE: ASSESS THE SHORTAGE AND LOW POWERED ELECTICITY IN

GILGIT CITY.

INTRODUCTION:

Gilgit-Baltistan, known as Pakistan's "water reservoir," has many glaciers but still faces
electricity access issues. The problems include a gap between the electricity demand and supply,
inefficient power plants, poorly planned hydropower projects without environmental checks, and
seasonal variations in hydropower availability. Micro-hydropower projects don't generate
enough power for all needs, and the region's hotels and food supply suffer due to power
shortages. Landslides and climate-related events damage power lines, making matters worse

The region's extreme climate and location worsen electricity problems. Hydropower, the main
source, is available for only about half the year due to frozen water. Many power plants are built
in risky areas without considering water variations and optimal locations, which hurts their
productivity and burdens the government with maintenance costs. For example, the Hassan Abad
power project was damaged by a glacial flood. Such projects in disaster-prone zones strain
finances.

Gilgit-Baltistan's government must create a well-researched power policy. It should prioritize

renewable energy projects during development planning and funding allocation. Current policies
talk about renewable energy but lack a clear execution plan, which must change to improve the
region's electricity situation.

LITERLATURE REVIEW:

Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), home to 1.5 million people, is grappling with a severe electricity shortage.
In Gilgit city, residents endure up to 20 hours of power cuts during winter and 8 hours in
summer, despite the hydroelectric capacity doubling in the warmer months. The lack of job
opportunities in the region exacerbates the problem. GB's economy largely depends on
government jobs because there are no industries or trade, and private sector investment remains
scarce due to power shortages.

GB faces unique challenges in launching power projects. While provincial governments in

Pakistan can initiate projects up to 50 Mega Watts, GB, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)
are not constitutionally part of Pakistan and are exempt from this limitation. GB's Water and
Power Department had previously managed an 18 Megawatt project in Naltar valley with
Chinese assistance, but its capacity has since declined to 6 Megawatts due to mismanagement.

The power supply situation in GB remains precarious. During winter, the department provides 8
Megawatts to Gilgit city, but 2.5 Megawatts are lost to illegal connections or diverted to VIPs
through special lines. In the summer, the city's total requirement of 35 Megawatts far exceeds the
supplied 21 Megawatts. GB's total electricity production stands at 48 Megawatts in winter and 78
Megawatts in summer, despite a capacity of 96 Megawatts in 106 powerhouses. Shockingly, the
power department collects only a fraction of its estimated revenue, with poor billing practices
resulting in annual collections of 80 million rupees in Gilgit and 190 million rupees across all
seven districts of GB.

OBJECTIVES:

To identify the root causes of electricity shortages and low power supply in Gilgit, considering
factors such as infrastructure limitations, generation capacity, transmission losses, and
distribution issues.

To assess the socioeconomic impact of electricity shortages on the residents and businesses in
Gilgit, including productivity losses, health implications, and quality of life.

To propose recommendations and strategies for improving electricity supply in Gilgit, with a
focus on short-term and long-term measures to shortages and enhance the quality of power
delivery.

RESEARCH METHADOLOGY:

This research is done by both qualitative and quantitative method. The literature review is taken
from the report of PAMIR TIMES which is Gilgit local social media news channel and the also
most of data and information about lack of electricity and shortage of electricity in Gilgit is
mention in research taken from observation and the problems for transmission of electricity from
power houses to home and solution for these problems is done by different survey to different
power houses of Gilgit and interview taken by many lines mans. The idea of power policy to
govt GB is decided in group discussion between members, which became very good to resolve
the issues of electricity in Gilgit.

RESEARCH QUESTION:

 What are reasons of shortage and low powered electricity in Gilgit?

 Do we need to build more plants to address electricity shortages?

CONCLUSION:

In Gilgit-Baltistan, there are many problems with getting reliable electricity even though there's
plenty of water and potential for making electricity. These problems include not having enough
electricity for the people, not taking care of the power plants and wires, and not looking at how
these things affect the environment. All of these issues also hurt the local economy, job
opportunities, and the lives of the people who live there. Our research aimed to find out why
there's a shortage of electricity and how it affects people's lives. We used different ways to learn,
like talking to people, watching what's happening, and asking questions to the people who work
with electricity.

What we found is that there are many problems that need fixing:

 Fixing Things: We need to spend money on making power plants, wires, and other
things better so that there's enough electricity for everyone.

 Make a Plan: The government should create a clear plan for how to use energy in a good
way. This should include using renewable energy like solar and wind, and solving the
energy problems unique to this area.
  Help from Businesses: We should ask businesses to invest in making electricity. This
will bring in more money and know-how.

 Skilled Workers: We need to train people who work with electricity so they can do their
jobs well and keep things running smoothly.

In the end, solving the electricity problem in Gilgit needs a big effort. We have to fix things,
make better plans, get help from businesses, and train our workers. By doing this, we can make
sure there's enough electricity for everyone, improve people's lives, and bring more opportunities
to the region.

References
hussain, A. (2018). The long term Forecast of gilgit baltistan electricity demand. islamabad: IEEE.

hussain, A. (2023). Energy in gilgit baltistan. The International News , 15.

Israr, I. (June 10, 2013). Need of Power Policy for Gilgit-Baltistan. gilgit: Pamir times.

nagri, J. (2022). Gilgit residents protest wheat, electricity shortage. Gilgit: Down News.