A new report named as “2019: Hydropower Status Report- Sector Trends and Insights” issued by the International Hydropower Association (IHA- an organization based by the United Kingdom) has placed Pakistan on the 3rd position in the list of 20 countries of the world that have newly installed hydropower capacity.

The IHA in its report has stated that in 2018, 2487 MW of hydel electricity was produced by Pakistan which has uplifted it to the 3rd rank in the top 20 countries. Whereas, China and Brazil with the addition of 8540 MW & 3866 MW of hydel electricity to the system have managed to be on the first and second ranks respectively.
However, the third and fourth placed are gained by Turkey and Angola which have managed to add about 1085 MW and 668 MW of environment-friendly hydroelectricity.
On the other hand, Pakistan’s neighboring country India could succeed to add 535 MW hydel electricity only and this has placed it at the eighth rank in the Top-20 countries list.
The report further states that Tajikistan for adding 605 MW stood at sixth place, and Ecuador following Tajikistan remains at seventh rank with the addition of 556 MW. Ahead on the ninth position after India is Norway for adding 419 MW followed by Canada (401 MW), Austria (385 MW), Cambodia (300 MW), Laos (254 MW), Zimbabwe (150 MW), United States (141 MW), Iran (140 MW), Congo (121 MW), Colombia (111 MW), Peru (111 MW) and Chile (110 MW).

As per the report, with the addition of Pakistan’s recent hydropower, WAPDA (Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority) had stepped forward with a rapid pace in the last year (2018) and managed to accomplish three long-term-delayed mega projects of hydropower.
Moreover, within a year only Pakistan has succeeded to register a rise of 36 percent in the total hydel generation capacity.