Developing hydropower schemes on existing irrigation networks : a case study from Upper Chenab canal system

Indus River System is formed along Indus River. Indus River is the largest river in subcontinent and it entirely flows almost in the centre of Pakistan. The impact of the Indus on the economy of Pakistan is considerable because of its size. It has the 7th largest delta its annual water runoff places it at 10th, place in the world. It is responsible for irrigating 14.5 million hectares (MH) of land (Water Sector Strategy [Ministry of Water and Power, October, 2002]). Pakistan has one of the largest canal irrigation system of the World. Hydro Planning Organization (HPO) with technical cooperation with German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ) identified and ranked 591 sites at canal falls with total potential of 649 MW to get additional benefit of hydel power in addition irrigation benefits which in turn will save foreign exchange of the country (Inventory of Low head hydropower Potential at Barrages and Canal Falls [GTZ-HEPO-WAPDA, 1993]). Indus River System has over 54000 MW hydropower potential out of which only 1463 MW is below 50 MW. (Pakistan VVatcr, Power and Energy: Contemporary Issues [Hassan. Z ul - Majeed. Z, 25-27 September 2006]). This is less than 3% of the total hydropower potential of the country. Therefore it is thought that only hydropower projects of more than 50 MW have impact on national economy and small power projects have only regional impact