PM lays foundation stone of Dasu project

Nawaz Sharif says the Dasu hydel power project will prove to be a milestone to address the electricity shortage.

KOHISTAN: Laying the foundation stone for the Dasu power project, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said the project would prove to be a milestone for the country and help resolve the energy crisis in the country, Radio Pakistan reported. 

Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony of the 4,320 megawatt power project, PM Nawaz said hydel resources will be fully exploited in order to overcome the electricity crisis.  He went on to add that work on the Diamer-Bhasha dam would begin soon.

The World Bank has agreed to provide assistance worth $1 billion dollars for the project, which is expected to be completed in two phases; the first phase will be completed in five years and will add 2,160MW electricity to the national grid.

The premier also said an additional 40,000 megawatts of electricity could be generated from new power projects on the Indus River. At present,  7,000 megawatts of electricity is being generated from these projects.

The Dasu project is part of the least-cost energy production plan of Wapda aimed at harnessing the country’s hydropower resources to improve the share of hydroelectricity in energy mix.

The project will be constructed on the Indus River, seven kilometres upstream of Dasu village and 74 km downstream of Diamer-Bhasha Dam. The project is situated on the Karakoram Highway, about 350 km from Islamabad.

According to a statement issued by Wapda, the priority is to construct Diamer-Bhasha Dam for which land acquisition process has already started and 13 contracts for offices, colonies and roads have been awarded.

Dasu Hydropower Project will follow the initiation of work on Diamer-Bhasha Dam. Detailed engineering design, for which the World Bank is providing funds, and tender documents are likely to be completed in early 2014. Afterwards, construction work will commence.

The project will generate 21.3 billion units of electricity per annum and will also have positive impact on existing hydropower stations including Tarbela, Ghazi Barotha and Chashma.

Correction: An earlier version of the story mistakenly reported that detailed engineering design, for which the World Bank is providing funds, and tender documents are likely to be completed in early 2013 instead of 2014. The error is regretted.