France to fund first training institute

Islamabad: France, in collaboration with the European Union, has signed a grant funding agreement for the establishment of Pakistan Hydropower Training Institute (HPTI) at Mangla.

This grant was delegated to the AFD (French development agency) by the European Union. It is aimed at completing the rehabilitation of the existing training centre at Mangla and its transformation into a “centre of excellence for hydropower” in order to increase the capacity of both public and private hydroelectric power operators.

Upon completion, this will be the only centre in Pakistan, ensuring sound and skilled development of hydroelectric power projects, both at technical and engineering levels.

France, through the AFD, contributes to addressing the current energy crisis and emerges as a major contributor in line with the pledge made by the French government at the Tokyo conference in April 2009.