The federal government will build the Basho hydropower project in Northern Areas which will produce 28MW electricity and store water for irrigation. Designs of civil works and electro-mechanical equipment will be optimised in accordance with the latest data and information to be collected from field investigations over a period of 18 months, according to an official. The project will be connected to Skardu and other load centres in the upstream valleys through a 66kV transmission line. The officials said that from the identified potential sites, four will be studied for feasibility purposes. They are Phandar 80MW in Ghizar district, Naltar 32MW in Gilgit district, Basho 28MW and Harpo 33MW in Skardu district.