The “critical diversion system” of Dasu Hydropower Project (DHPP) will be completed by May 2023, as the China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC), contractor of the main work, is leading the construction work of the project. According to Gwadar Pro, the Project management briefed Chairman WAPDA Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd) on Tuesday during his visit to DHPP, which is being constructed on the River Indus upstream of Dasu town in the Upper Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). The construction work is continuing simultaneously on 12 different sites of the project, the official was informed, adding, “the critical diversion system will be completed in May 2023 while electricity generation from the project will commence by the end of 2026”.

The Chairman visited various sites of the project including diversion tunnels, the Stater dam area, and the project colony. During his visit to the project colony, the Chairman inaugurated the newly constructed office building of the project. China’s CGICOP is executing the Project Colony and & Infrastructure package of the project. As per the detail of the project, CGGC is executing the construction RCC Dam and Allied Hydraulic Structures of the project; the construction of the underground Powerhouse and Allied Hydraulic Structures; the Right Bank Access Road from the Dam site to Uttergah; the relocation of Karakoram Highway RD 25+200 to RD 62+213. China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) is working on different parts of the construction of the Right Bank Access Road. 

Similarly, the construction of a 132 kV transmission line from Dubair to Dasu is being carried out by Power Construction Corporation of China Ltd. (PCCC).  Zhongmei Engineering Group Ltd. is working at the resettlement site of the project. It is apt to mention that upon completion, Dasu will become the project with the highest annual energy generation in Pakistan i.e., 21 billion units on average. WAPDA is spending Rs 17.34 billion on schemes relating to resettlement, environmental management, and social development in the project area. About 3722 jobs, including 1945 for locals, have so far been created, which will increase to the 8000 mark during the peak construction period of the project.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-INP