WAPDA informs Senate body: DHPP to become largest hydropower project

ISLAMABAD: The total revised cost of the 5,400MW Dasu Hydropower Project (DHPP) has been estimated at Rs1,737 billion, and upon completion, it will become the country’s largest hydropower project in terms of power generation capacity.

This was informed by the WAPDA officials while briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, which met here on Thursday under the chairmanship of Senator Saifullah Abro.

The meeting discussed matters related to the DHPP and Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project, including their associated transmission lines, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects, and alleged financial irregularities in several development initiatives, including the Sindh Solar Energy Project (SSEP), where concerns were raised regarding the payment of approximately Rs6 billion in taxes allegedly deducted based on fake invoices.

READ MORE: Dasu project: World Bank flags execution and macroeconomic risks

WAPDA officials informed the panel that in the first phase, 12 generating units will be installed with a cumulative generation capacity of 4,320 megawatts at DHPP.

Subsequently, three additional units will be added, each producing 360 megawatts, increasing total generation to 5,400 megawatts. Officials further stated that work is underway on a 765-kilovolt transmission line associated with the project. WAPDA officials told the committee that the project has secured full funding, including external financing, and that overall physical progress has reached 30 percent. The completion date under the approved PC-1 remains November 2028.

Senator Waqar Mehdi, expressing concerns over repeated delays in the completion of the DHPP, observed that it appeared unlikely that the project would be completed within the stipulated timeframe. WAPDA officials acknowledged that the project had already faced two delays.

Senator Rubina Khalid criticised administrative inefficiencies and called for strict accountability mechanisms, urging authorities to establish timelines for performance and take disciplinary action against officials who fail to deliver. Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan stressed that future lapses should be reported to oversight institutions, while Senator Abro recommended the establishment of a dedicated monitoring desk within EAD to evaluate tendering processes, minimise the risk of irregularities, and ensure effective follow-up of projects executed in collaboration with donor agencies.

Senator Hidayatullah Khan noted that despite only 30 percent overall progress, approximately USD 46 million had already been paid in interest. Senator Abro noted that a loan of USD 485 million had been obtained for the project and that USD 46 million in interest payments had already been made.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026