ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the development of village-scale hydroelectric power schemes in the remote Northern Areas of Pakistan, which have been installed under the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP). The Northern Areas of Pakistan is an inhospitable region with a sparse population. It contains some of the world’s highest mountains and has a harsh climate with very low rainfall and cold winters. Hydroelectric power is generated in Pakistan on a very large scale, using large man-made reservoirs, which store water for massive irrigation projects as well as contributing to the electricity supplied by the grid network which covers most of the lowland areas of the country. AKRSP have used a variety of different types of turbine for their micro-hydro schemes, depending on the site conditions. AKRSP wishes to encourage further implementation of micro-hydro schemes in the Northern Areas, and is planning to carry out a general survey of energy requirements in the Northern Areas.
