The project consists of a dam, a powerhouse, attached structures and a barrage 60 kilometres downstream of the site of the dam and irrigation canals. PHOTO: CREATIVE COMMONS
LAHORE: The National Engineering Services of Pakistan (Nespak), a state-owned organisation of consulting engineers, secured a contract to design a dam in Afghanistan, according to a press statement issued on Wednesday.
Nespak will design the $500 million-dam on the Farah River in Bakshabad, Afghanistan. The contract for the project was signed by the Ministry of Water and Energy, Government of Afghanistan and Nespak.
The project consists of a dam, a powerhouse, attached structures and a barrage 60 kilometres downstream of the site of the dam and irrigation canals. This is the first time a Pakistan company will provide engineering consultancy services for a project in Afghanistan.
The $500 million-dam will be financed by the Afghan government and once completed, it will meet all irrigation and energy requirements of the Farah province.
“The dam’s storage capacity will be more than one billion cubic metres. At the same time, it will be capable of irrigating 68,000 acres of agricultural land and produce about 27 megawatts of electricity, which can meet the electricity needs of Farah Province,” said Muhammad Ismail Khan, Minister of Energy and Water, Afghanistan.
Nespak won the tender for the project through an international open competition. Winning this project in international competition shows consistency with Nespak’s policy of overseas expansion.
The landlocked country will build or refurbish 545 large, medium and small dams. About 111 of these dams were a priority for the ministry.
In November 2012, Nespak was awarded engineering supervision of the Obudu Dam Rehabilitation project in Nigeria.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2013.
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@Jamil: You would certainly know about taking the money and then sending criminals to attack people- isn't this what India has been doing the last 50 years. Why don't you go and listen to Senetor Hagel's speech? I think that Pakistan should desgin a big fence to keep out unwanted intruders from Afghanistan who are sent by India to cause trouble.
$500 million to build a dam that produces only 25 MW of electricity? Not sure who is actually financing this, but they are really getting a poor deal.
Wish all the best for better understanding and relations with our brothers in Afghanistan.
A Peshawary
misleading headline; NESPAK is only awarded the design part of the project not the whole USD 500 Million Project
Well done, take the money build something and then send sucide bombers to destry it... this is a fact publish it.
Congrats!!
Design a dam? Who will build it?