Engineering design completed for Diamer-Basha Dam

Lahore: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Shakeel Durrani has said that the detailed engineering design and tender documents of the multi-purpose Diamer-Basha Dam project had been completed, while all the studies and details had also been reviewed by the international panel of experts.

He was speaking after the presentation by the consultants of the dam at the Wapda House. Durrani further said that Rs 200 million had been allocated for the detail design of the project in the 2008-09 Federal budget, while the pre-qualification process of the contractors had already been initiated.

He further said that Diamer-Basha Dam was a 8.50 billion-dollar project, having immense importance, as it was the largest project ever executed in any sector in the country. He stated that the construction of the project would commence next year following international competitive bidding and every effort would be made to ensure that the highest professional standard of quality and safety were maintained.

The project would go a long way to cope with the increasing demand of water and electric power in the country, he said, adding it would help increase the ratio of low-cost hydel power in the national grid. Diamer-Basha dam will be the highest roller compacted concrete (RCC) dam in the world with more than 100-kilometre long reservoir and 272-metre in height.

Its storage capacity would be 6.4 MAF, while 4,500 MW of electricity will be generated by the project. Diamer-Basha Dam will contribute more than 18,000 Giga watt-hours of electricity annually to the national grid. Earlier, the consultants of the dam briefed the Wapda chairman, besides officers of Water and Power Ministry and Planning Commission, former members (Water) and members of the authority.