In a significant development towards the implementation of the Dasu Hydropower Project (DHPP), WAPDA announced on Wednesday evening that Stage-1 of the Concrete-Starter Dam has been completed upstream of the main dam site. Stage-1 of the concrete Starter Dam was finished earlier this month, just before the high flow season in River Indus. WAPDA's statement described it as a major achievement for the project team, Gwadar Pro reported on Thursday. According to the project design, the Starter Dam for DHPP is divided into two stages. Stage-1 has been completed up to an elevation of 785 meters, while Stage-2 is planned up to an elevation of 798 meters above sea level. Following the high flow season in October this year, the construction of Stage-2 of the Starter Dam will commence and is expected to be completed during the upcoming low-flow season.

With the onset of the high flow season, River Indus is now flowing through the two Diversion Tunnels, which were completed earlier this year.  Additionally, some of the river water is overtopping the concrete Starter Dam as per design. China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC) is serving as the Main Works Contractor for DHPP, with involvement from China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), Power Construction Corporation of China Ltd (PCCC), Zhongmei Engineering Group Ltd, and CGICOP. DHPP is a crucial component of WAPDA's least-cost, green, and clean energy generation plan. 

The project is being constructed across River Indus, upstream of Dasu town in Upper Kohistan, KP. It is planned to have a total capacity of 4320 MW, divided into two stages of 2160 MW each. Once both stages are completed, Dasu will become Pakistan's highest annual energy generation project.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-INP