Dasu Hydropower Project, Pakistan
Pakistan and the World Bank have agreed to fast-track the implementation of the Dasu Hydropower Project (DHP), which includes the construction of a 242-meter (794-foot) tall dam and a 4,320-megawatt hydropower station.
The agreement was announced by Martin Raiser, the World Bank’s Vice President for South Asia, following a meeting with Pakistan’s energy ministers, Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Laghari (Power) and Musadik Masood Malik (Petroleum). Raiser shared the development in a post on X.
The two sides emphasized their commitment to cleaner energy and reducing system losses and costs. Raiser also highlighted the meeting as a significant outcome of the newly launched 10-year Country Partnership Framework (CPF).
As part of the push to expedite the project, the World Bank will send a mission to monitor the first stage of the Dasu Hydropower Project. The Implementation Support and Progress Review Mission will visit from February 10 to March 5, 2025, to assess the project’s progress.
The Dasu Hydropower Project will be built in two phases, each with a capacity of 2,160 MW. The project’s first phase is expected to start generating power in July 2027.
Last month, the Ministry of Economic Affairs raised concerns about delays in the project, citing the slow pace of securing an additional $1 billion in financing. The delay was primarily due to the lack of approval for the revised PC-1 plan from the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA). Another major hurdle was restrictions on ground transportation for international workers and experts traveling between Islamabad and Dasu, as well as a shortage of armored vehicles needed for their safety in the project area.
ICMD
