Azad Pattan Power Private Limited is the owner and developer of 700.7 MW hydroelectric power generating complex located on the River Jhelum near the village of Muslimabad in district Sudhnoti, AJ&K, some 7 km upstream of the Azad Pattan bridge having coordinates of 33˚46’33.8″ N and 73˚33’48.9″ E. The site is about 90 km from Islamabad, capital city of Pakistan; connected with the rest of the Country through good road network with relatively easy access to the Site.

The Project is being developed under the Government of Pakistan Policy for Power Generation 2002 (as adopted by AJ&K) on Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) basis, whereby it would be transferred to the Government of AJ&K free of cost at the end of a 30-year concession term.

Azad Pattan HPP is one of five projects in the River Jhelum cascade and the reservoir capacity and generation potential of each project is influenced by the water levels determined by the Cascade Study commissioned by the PPIB. The River Jhelum can be subjected to extreme flood events due to intense monsoon rainfall within the catchment area and the crest of the RCC dam substantially comprises spillway to discharge the possible maximum flood.

The Project was first identified by MONENCO, Canada, with capacity of 86 MW in 1984, through “Hydropower Inventory & Ranking Study” prepared for GOP. Subsequent technical studies carried out by GTZ/WAPDA during 1992-1994 raised design capacity to 222 MW. As a result of a fast-track bidding process in 2006, the project was publicly announced by the Government inviting interest from experienced developers to develop, finance, construct and operate the hydropower project with a capacity of 222 MW.

The Company submitted its proposal on 28 August 2006 and after a detailed process of evaluation a Letter of Interest (LOI) for the Project was awarded to the Company by PPIB, on 27the April 2007. The LOI required the Company to carry out a feasibility study which was commissioned by the Company and carried out by URS Scott Wilson, UK and duly approved by PPIB panel of experts on 13 Feb 2012, for a capacity of 640 MW thus satisfying the conditions of the LOI.

Thereafter the Company submitted its tariff petition to NEPRA and received feasibility stage tariff determination in October 2014.

After completing the process and obtaining feasibility stage tariff determination the Letter of Support (LOS) was issued by PPIB on 30 June 2016 allowing the company to complete all further stages arrange financing and start construction.  The EPC contract was executed  on 11 June 2017. During the EPC negotiation process prior to executing the EPC contract the potential ate the site was further optimized through a study conducted by Peter Rae Associates, Canada for a capacity of 700.7 MW which was approved by PPIB Panel of experts on 22 Dec 2017. After the EPC cost was established through an open transparent bidding process the total project cost could be established on the basis of which tariff proposal was submitted to NEPRA who determined EPC Stage tariff in October 2018.

The current LOS requires the Company to achieve financial close on or before 31 December 2024. All matters required to achieve this are satisfactorily proceeding with concession documents including Power Purchase Agreement, Implementation Agreement(s) and Water Use Agreements duly executed. The lending consortium is in place and Term Sheet has been executed. Environmental approvals are in place and the land acquisition process is substantially complete.