Work on $4.2b Dasu Dam to kick off this year

World Bank has provided funds for land acquisition.

ISLAMABAD: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Syed Raghib Abbas on Wednesday told the Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power that Dasu Dam would cost $4.2 billion and work on the mega project would start this year.

Abbas said four tunnels would be constructed and the project would be completed by 2019. The World Bank is financing the dam and it is the sole project for which the bank has provided funds for land acquisition.

Germany will provide $1 billion and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China will give $2 billion for the project, which will generate 4,230 megawatts of cheap electricity.

Abbas said work orders would be issued next month after the Pakistan Engineering Council established the categories of contractors. Of these, 70% foreign and 30% local contractors would be hired.

Senator Zahid Khan, who chaired the meeting, asked the Wapda chairman to hire maximum contractors from the country.

Discussing Diamer Bhasha Dam, Abbas told the panel that it would cost $12 billion and would take eight years to complete.

Zahid Khan stressed the need for completing work on hydroelectric power projects as early as possible in the larger national interest.

State Minister of Water and Power Abid Sher Ali informed the committee that the prime minister had already given approval for development projects across the country.

He also assured committee members that a list of board of directors of all power distribution companies would be provided to them.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2014.

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