Wapda chief visits Diamer Bhasha Dam, Dasu Hydropower Project sites

LAHORE-Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Lt Gen (r) Muzammil Hussain on Thursday visited Diamer Bhasha Dam and Dasu Hydropower Project to review construction work.

During his visit to Diamer Bhasha Dam being constructed on River Indus downstream of Chilas town in Gilgit Baltistan, the Wapda chairman was briefed that construction work on as many as eight different sites in project area is underway. The construction sites included access tunnel, access roads, upstream and downstream cable bridges. The construction work on 21MW Tangir Hydropower Project, meant for providing electricity during construction phase of Diamer Basha Dam, has also commenced, it was further briefed.

Speaking on the occasion, Wapda chairman said that construction work on Diamer Basha Dam is progressing ahead despite Covid-19 pandemic that has adversely affected the whole world. He, however, maintained that the project authorities must ensure achieving major construction milestones in accordance with the timelines set for the purpose. He also opened the newly constructed cable way bridge across River Indus. Rest of three such bridges are scheduled to be completed in April and May one after the other for swift mobilization on both banks of the river during high flow season. Pontoon bridge across the River Indus had already been completed ahead of schedule in December last year to facilitate mobilisation of machinery and workforce during the current low flow season.

Diamer Basha Dam will have a gross water storage capacity of 8.1 MAF to irrigate 1.23 million acres of additional land. With installed power generation capacity of 4500MW, the project will provide more than 18 billion units per annum to the national grid.

Earlier, Wapda chairman also witnessed construction activities on Dasu Hydropower Project Stage-I, being built across River Indus upstream Dasu town in Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. During a briefing about progress on the project, the chairman was apprised that construction work on nine different sites is in progress. It was briefed that river diversion works are expected to be completed by end of this year. Afterwards, the mighty Indus would pass through the two diversion tunnels paving the way to constructing the Main Dam. The chairman reviewed construction work on diversion tunnels and power house during the visit.

The 4320 MW-Dasu Hydropower Project will be completed in two stages. At present, WAPDA is working on 2160 MW-Stage-I, likely to be completed in 2025.The Stage-I will provide 12 billion green and low-cost electricity to the national grid annually while the Stage-II will also contribute another 9 billion units to the system per annum.