700 households powered as 500kW micro-hydro plant inaugurated in Ghizer

In a region where climate disasters have turned survival into a daily struggle, the inauguration of a 500kW community-run micro-hydro powerhouse in Ghizer’s Umalsat valley in Pakistan signals a rare and radiant breakthrough. The facility now supplies electricity to more than 700 households and businesses—ushering in light, warmth, and economic revival across some of Gilgit-Baltistan’s most remote and flood-battered communities. The project was made possible through the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP), under the Central Asia Poverty Programme (CAPP). At the inauguration, Chairman Hussein Tejani praised the community’s resolve. “In these challenging times, this community has shown how local, decentralised solutions can secure essential needs and drive recovery,” he said, highlighting the model’s sustainability and replicability. “In the face of climate-induced disasters, projects like this are vital,” said General Manager Jamil Uddin. “We are not just producing electricity; we are producing resilience and a proven model for communities to lead their own way out of crisis.”