The Dasu Hydropower Project moving ahead speedily and will start electricity generation in second half of the year 2024,
while all six units of the Stage-I, with cumulative generation capacity of 2160 MW, will be done by early 2025.
Construction work on Dasu Hydropower Project is picking up force, as the issue relating to rates of land required for the project has been settled with the help of the Federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments.
WAPDA Chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) visited to the project. General Manager (Land Acquisition and Resettlement), General Manager and Project Director (Dasu Hydropower Project) and representatives of the consultants and contractors were also there during the visit.
WAPDA Chairman appraised construction activities during the visit at main access tunnel leading to the power house, the two diversion tunnels, project offices and colony.
The project management briefed the Chairman about the progress on main civil and preparatory works in the project area. He was also informed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the district administration have assured to complete the process of land acquisition by June this year.
WAPDA Chairman, appreciating spirit of the locals, said that their cooperation is vital to expedite the land acquisition process. WAPDA is cognizant of its responsibilities for betterment of the project affectees and has been taking all possible measures for progress and prosperity of the people residing in the project area.
The 4320-MW Dasu is a vital hydropower project not only for the country but also for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The project will stabilize the economy of Pakistan by generating low-cost hydel electricity besides ushering in a new era of socio-economic development in the backward and far-flung areas of the province.
Dasu Hydropower Project is being constructed on River Indus upstream of Dasu town. WAPDA is implementing the project in two stages – each stage having a generation capacity of 2160 MW. On completion, Stage-I of the project will contribute more than 12 billion units of electricity per annum to the National Grid. The Stage-II, after its completion, will also provide another 9 billion units to the system every year.
Besides main civil works of Stage-I, the construction work on seven different contracts relating to infrastructure development in the area is also in progress. These include construction of right bank access roads, relocation of Karakoram Highway, construction of 132 KV transmission line and grid station to provide electricity from Duber Khwar Hydel Power Station to the site for implementing the project and adjacent areas, project colony and resettlement works.