In a bid to ensure optimal utilization of its ever depleting water resources, Pakistan has embarked upon building eight mega hydel projects that would help double its water storage capacity.
Officials say the new dams will help improve the share of hydel power in the country’s energy mix which is presently dominated by thermal power.
These projects include- Diamer Basha Dam, Mohmand Dam, Kurram Tangi Dam (Stage-I), Nai Gaj Dam, Sindh Barrage, Dasu Hydropower Project (Stage-I), Tarbela 5th Extension, and Keyal Khawar Hydropower Project.
“These projects are scheduled to be completed one by one from 2022 to 2028-29,” says Muzammil Hussain, Chairman of Pakistan’s Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
A series of studies including those done by local and international experts like the one compiled by the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington D.C., say Pakistan being a water-deficient country, needs to take fast-paced steps to conserve water as well as make optimal use of the available resource.
Currently, Pakistan relies on three major rivers that flow from Indian-controlled Kashmir into its large Indus water system, fulfilling its agricultural needs and industrial production requirements. But the country with a ballooning population has seen its development and resources need multiply in recent decades.
Many of the key industries are also linked to the agricultural sector, therefore making it imperative for the country to conserve and supply large amounts of water in the event of dry seasons, especially in winters. The monsoon rains that bring showers over late summer months flow down to the southern parts of the country owing to a lack of conservation facilities.
Now, officials say the completion of these projects will cumulatively add about 11 million acre feet (MAF) to the gross water storage of the country pushing it from 13 MAF to 24 MAF, sufficient to irrigate another 1.6 million acres of land in the country. In addition, the installed hydropower generation capacity of Pakistan will be doubled to cross 18,000 MW with an addition of 9000 MW.
Similarly, the annual hydel generation will also surge to 73 billion units from 38 billion units with an increase of 35 billion units.
Kurram Tangi Dam (Stage-I) located in Tribal District North Waziristan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is likely to be completed in 2022. It will irrigate 16,000 acres of land and generation 18.9 MW.
Nai Gaj Dam, being constructed in Dadu District of Sindh, will be completed in 2024 with gross water storage of 300,000-acre feet to irrigate 28,800 acres of land.
Mohmand Dam, being constructed in Tribal District Mohmand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is scheduled to be completed in 2025. It has gross water storage of 1.2 MAF and a power generation capacity of 800 MW. In addition to supplementing 160,000 million acres of existing land, this project will also irrigate 18,237 acres of new land.
Dasu Hydropower Project (Stage-I) to be completed in 2025, is being constructed in District Kohistan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with installed power generation of 2160 MW.
Tarbela 5th Extension Project located in District Haripur of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be completed in 2026 and will generate 1410 MW electricity.
Keyal Khwar, being constructed in District Kohistan of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is scheduled to be completed in 2026 with a generation capacity of 128 MW.
Sindh Barrage to be completed in 2026, will be constructed 180-Km downstream of Kotri Barrage in Sindh, and will have gross water storage of 2 MAF to irrigate 150,000 acres of land.
The super mega Diamer Basha Dam being constructed 40-Km downstream of the northern Pakistan district of Chilas , is likely to be completed in 2028-29. The project will have gross water storage of 8.1 MAF to irrigate 1.23 million acres of land and power generation of 4500 MW
