Major hydropower projects move ahead as WAPDA chairman inspects sites

LAHORE: Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Chairman Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Saeed, on Sunday visited the under-construction Diamer-Bhasha Dam and Dasu Hydropower Project to review progress on two of Pakistan’s largest water and energy infrastructure schemes.

During the visit, project authorities informed the chairman that roller-compacted concrete (RCC) works on the main dams of both projects are expected to begin later this year, as preparatory activities and foundational requirements are nearing completion at an accelerated pace.

According to a WAPDA spokesman, the chairman directed general managers, consultants, and contractors to strictly follow implementation plans and expedite construction to ensure completion in line with scheduled timelines.

At the Diamer-Bhasha Dam site, located on the Indus River about 40 kilometres downstream of Chilas, the chairman inspected several key components, including the power intake, dam foundation pit, downstream coffer dam, left abutment, flushing tunnel, guide wall, RCC batching plant, and laboratory facilities.

Officials briefed him on site-specific progress against targets. Construction activities are currently underway at around 20 locations across the project area. Excavation of the left abutment and dam foundation has largely been completed, while RCC trial works for the main dam have been carried out successfully. With excavation on the right abutment also approaching completion, full-scale RCC placement for the dam structure is expected to commence during the current year.

The Diamer-Bhasha Dam, scheduled for completion in 2030, is considered a cornerstone project for Pakistan’s long-term water storage and energy needs. Once operational, it will have the capacity to store approximately 8.1 million acre-feet of water and enable irrigation of an additional 1.2 million acres of agricultural land. The dam is also expected to generate about 4,500 megawatts of electricity, supplying roughly 18 billion units of low-cost, renewable power annually to the national grid.

During his stay at the site, the chairman also met local religious scholars to review progress on community benefit measures aimed at improving living conditions in the project area. Officials reported that substantial funds are being spent on development initiatives under these programmes.

Cadet College Chilas has already been completed, while work on the Harpan Das Model Village has reached about 61 percent, including plot levelling and infrastructure development such as roads, water supply, and sewerage systems.

Additional projects include a water supply scheme for Chilas town, which has been awarded, and a proposed rural health centre at Shatial in Upper Kohistan, for which bidding is under way.

In the second phase of the visit, the chairman travelled to the Dasu Hydropower Project site in Upper Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, another major scheme on the Indus River. He conducted a detailed inspection of critical facilities, including the dam pit, underground powerhouse, and underground transformer cavern.

Project officials reported that construction is progressing simultaneously on 23 work fronts. Key installations such as crushing and batching plants have been completed and are operational. RCC pouring for the main dam is also scheduled to begin later this year.

Authorities further informed the chairman that a 132-kilovolt transmission line, built to ensure reliable electricity supply during construction, is in the final stages of testing and commissioning and will be energised shortly.

Electricity generation from the Dasu project is expected to commence in 2028. The project also includes relocation of a 20.4-kilometre section of the Karakoram Highway to accommodate the reservoir area. This realigned route, being constructed to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor standards, is nearing completion, with major structures such as tunnels already at an advanced stage.

Officials additionally briefed the chairman on socio-economic development initiatives undertaken for local communities. So far, 31 infrastructure, health, and education schemes have been completed under the Local Rural Area Development Programme, while several others remain under implementation.

During the visit, the chairman also inaugurated a 132-kilovolt grid station at the Dasu site, a facility intended to support construction activities and future power evacuation.

The 4,320-megawatt Dasu Hydropower Project is planned in two phases. WAPDA is currently executing Stage-I, which will add 2,160 megawatts of generation capacity and is expected to produce about 12 billion units of affordable, clean electricity annually once operational.

Together, the Diamer-Bhasha and Dasu projects are viewed as critical to addressing Pakistan’s growing energy demand, enhancing water storage capacity, mitigating flood risks, and strengthening long-term food security through improved irrigation potential.