WAPDA eyes river diversion with tunnels' completion

Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) is all set for the diversion of the Swat River at Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project, as the diversion tunnels have been completed.

According to officials, the project team is likely to divert River Swat after the completion of the river-closure-dyke in a few days.

Despite the challenges posed by the high-flow season, the project team is making concerted efforts to ensure the timely execution of this critical phase, they said.

In light of these developments, WAPDA Chairman Engr Lt-Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd), conducted an on-site visit to the Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project to assess the progress of construction activities. During his visit, he inspected several key work fronts, including the outlets and inlets of the diversion tunnels, the powerhouse, the spillway, and the power intake.

The inspection provided him with a comprehensive overview of the ongoing construction work.

The General Manager GM of the Mohmand Dam Project, along with his team and representatives from the consultants and contractors, briefed the chairman on the status of each work front.

The briefing highlighted the completion of the concrete lining for diversion tunnel 3/1, with its inlet structure now ready for the river diversion. The excavation and rock support for the powerhouse and power intake are progressing swiftly, as is the concreting at the spillway.

Additionally, the dam fill material has been dispatched to China for large-scale tri-axial testing, in line with the project schedule.

Following the site visit, Chairman Sajjad Ghani presided over a progress review meeting at the project office, attended by the WAPDA team, consultants, and contractors. The meeting focused on the river diversion plan, the development of quarries, and the construction schedule for the main dam. The chairman emphasised the importance of adhering to the specified quality standards throughout the construction process and directed all parties involved to ensure compliance.

The Mohmand Dam Project is being constructed across the Swat River in the Mohmand District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Notably, it is the 5th highest concrete-face-rock-fill dam (CFRD) in the world and the tallest CFRD in Pakistan.

The project is scheduled for completion between 2026 and 2027.

The Mohmand Dam is a multipurpose initiative designed to store water for agricultural use, control floods, supply water to Peshawar for urban consumption, and generate environmentally friendly and economically viable hydropower. The dam will have a storage capacity of 1.29 million acre-feet (MAF) of water, which will irrigate 18,237 acres of new land in Mohmand and Charsadda.