With the completion of one of the project’s diversion tunnels, the Indus River now flows through a diversion tunnel instead of a natural channel.
Dasu Hydro Par Project has crossed a major milestone in its construction phase. After the completion of the diversion tunnel, today the river Indus has been diverted and now the river is passing through the diversion tunnel instead of its natural course. This diversion tunnel is 1.33 km long, 20 meters wide and 23 meters high. Construction activities have been started on the temporary dam after the river Indus was diverted. After the completion of the temporary dam, the construction of the main dam of Dasu Hydropower Project will be started.
General Manager and Project Director of Dasu Hydro Power Project, representatives of construction company and consultants, besides a large number of engineers and workers were also present to witness these historic moments of construction of the project. Meanwhile, Chairman WAPDA Engineer Lt. Gen. Sajjad Ghani (retd) has congratulated the project management on this important achievement.
The diversion system of Dasu Hydropower Project consists of two tunnels. One of these tunnels has been completed and is sufficient to carry the water of the Indus during the current season of low water flow. The second tunnel under construction will be completed by mid-April and this tunnel will also be available to carry the water of the Indus during the summer when the flow of water in the Indus increases.
The Dasu Hydropower Project is a flagship project of WAPDA’s strategy to generate affordable and environment-friendly hydropower. This project is being constructed on the Indus River upstream from Dasu in Upper Kohistan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The total production capacity of this project is 4,320 MW and it will be completed in two phases. Currently WAPDA is constructing the first phase of the Daso Hydropower Project. The production capacity of which is two thousand 160 megawatts. Power generation from the first phase is expected to start in 2026 and will provide an average of 12 billion of low-cost and environment-friendly hydropower to the National Grid every year. The second phase will also have a production capacity of 2,160 MW and upon completion will provide 9 billion units of additional hydropower to the National Grid. On completion of both phases, Dasu Hydropower Project will be Pakistan’s largest hydropower project in terms of annual production with 21 billion units.
