Dasu –The Chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority, WAPDA, Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed (Retd), visited the Dasu Hydropower Project in progress on Tuesday.

After a detailed briefing, a declaration was made that the critical Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) works will start during the second quarter of 2026, marking a significant milestone in the project.

As per a briefing made to the Chairman, the foundation pit will have been excavated by January 2026. This will be succeeded by a two-to-three-month trial of the RCC, which will be necessary before the actual construction of the main dam commences. This schedule highlights the gradual advancement of the project in the face of numerous challenges.

The Chairman also visited major work fronts, such as the main dam area, crushing and batching plants, powerhouse, transformer caverns, the Logro tunnel, and the Barseen bridge.

Overcoming Challenges and Accelerating Progress

The general manager of the project and other officials informed the Chairman that construction work is ongoing in 20 different work fronts.

A number of key milestones have already been met, such as completion of the river diversion system, excavation of the main switchyard of the 765 KV transmission line, and excavation of the right and left abutments of the dam.

The excavation of the underground powerhouse is also expected to be done by February 2026.

Despite the significant progress, the Chairman acknowledged the time lost due to security and law and order issues, including frequent protests and road blockages.

He instructed the contractors and consultants to speed up their work to compensate for these delays.

All the stakeholders attending stressed the importance of the police and local administration in ensuring continuity of work in the different sites.

Local Development

A notable component of the project is the relocation of the Karakorum Highway (KKH-1), which is being built to China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) standards. The 20.4 km-long highway featuring seven tunnels and three bridges is in its final stages and is expected to open to traffic by June 2026.

The Chairman, during his visit, opened the arch part of the Barseen bridge, which is now the longest arch bridge in Pakistan.

In addition to the main construction, WAPDA also engages in a local area development program. This project incorporates 69 infrastructure and public health schemes with a valuation of billions of rupees to empower the social-economic empowerment of the locals. So far, 28 of these schemes have been finished; others are still in the process.

A Vision for Clean Energy

The Dasu Hydropower Project is one of the key projects in the strategy adopted by Pakistan in enhancing its energy mix through the integration of clean, green, and affordable power. The project is scheduled to be accomplished in 2 phases.

Stage-1 is currently under construction, which is a 2160 MW installed capacity with financial support of the World Bank in the form of US$1.57 billion.

This phase will start electricity production in December 2027, which will add 12 billion units of electricity per annum to the national grid.

When both Stage-1 and Stage-2 are completed, it is estimated that the Dasu project will be the largest annual energy-generating project in Pakistan, whose average output is estimated at 21 billion units.

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