Mira Power lands two wins at Asian Power Awards 2025 for hydropower plant project

It won the Environmental Upgrade of the Year - Pakistan and the Hydro Power Project of the Year - GOLD accolades.

Mira Power, a subsidiary of Korea Energy, was recognised at the prestigious Asian Power Awards 2025 with two major accolades for its 102 MW Gulpur Hydropower Plant (GHPP) that has contributed clean energy to the national grid and has set an example on integrated environmental stewardship.

Commissioned in March 2020, the GHPP project is located within the Poonch River Mahseer National Park, a protected area that supports endangered species. It has made key environmental initiatives and achievements since its development.

One of its most impactful environmental achievements is the implementation of a continuous and ongoing river screening and clean-up system, which ensures that only clean, debris-free water is discharged downstream. To date, this mechanism has successfully removed over 475 metric tonnes of floating waste from the Poonch River over the past three years, significantly improving water quality and aquatic health.

A robust Protection and Watch & Ward System has also been deployed to safeguard over 100 km of the Poonch River and its tributaries. This includes a dedicated field team focused on preventing illegal activities such as unauthorised fishing and riverbed mining, whilst simultaneously enabling habitat restoration and conservation.

At the same time, GHPP’s biodiversity is regularly monitored by a third-party consultant, showing clear progress: total fish abundance increased from 609 to 1,103, and endangered Golden Mahseer from 115 to 171, both from 2016 to 2024. Community engagement and environmental education programmes have also expanded, with a 165% increase in participation, strengthening local stewardship of the park.

The GHPP exemplifies how infrastructure development and environmental conservation can be mutually reinforcing.

“By aligning power generation with biodiversity protection, GHPP delivers clean, renewable energy to Pakistan’s national grid whilst simultaneously ensuring the long-term sustainability of the Poonch River ecosystem. Its continuous efforts in debris removal, habitat restoration, and species protection offer a replicable model for green infrastructure projects worldwide,” the company said.

Mira Power brought home the Environmental Upgrade of the Year - Pakistan and the Hydro Power Project of the Year - GOLD for this innovative project.

Asian Power Awards is a prestigious event that honours outstanding companies and projects driving innovation, sustainability, and resilience in the power sector. It recognises groundbreaking initiatives that address climate challenges, energy demand, digital transformation, and long-term impact across the industry.

The Asian Power Awards is presented by Asian Power Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's revolutionary innovations and initiatives in the water industry in Asia, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].