Wapda holds pre-bidding meeting for Dasu hydropower project

LAHORE: The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) held the first pre-bid meeting at Wapda House on Monday for main civil works of the Stage-I of Dasu Hydropower Project. 

Main civil works consist of MW-01 Dam and its appurtenant structures and MW-02 Underground Powerhouse and its appurtenant structures. The bid documents of these works were issued on February 12, 2016 to pre-qualified bidders for submission on May 12, 2016. I  Representatives of all the eight pre-qualified firms and joint ventures (4 contractors from Turkey, one each from China, Italy, Vietnam, and South Korea) attended the meeting.

The meeting was presided over by Wapda Member (Water) Muhammad Shoaib Iqbal, who thanked the representatives of pre-qualified firms and joint ventures for their participation in the meeting. He encouraged them to participate in the bidding process and promised to provide level playing field and Wapda’s support. 

Dasu Hydropower Consultants gave detailed presentation on technical aspects of the project and bidding process. Dasu Hydropower Project Financial Advisor briefed the participants about financial strategy of Dasu Hydropower Project. Afterwards representatives of the pre-qualified firms and joint ventures raised their queries regarding the project and the bidding process in the Q&A session. 

Wapda asked for written queries to respond officially and regarding the extension in submission date it was conveyed that the authority was not ready to think over it.

Wapda Member (Finance) Muhammad Anwar-ul-Haq gave the current status on financing. To meet the payment to contractors in local currency and foreign currency, local bank and foreign bank were mandated to raise financing in local currency and US dollar respectively. The Stage-1 of Dasu Hydropower Project is estimated to cost $4.3 billion.

Five contracts of preliminary works, were awarded and the contractors have started working on relocation of Karakoram Highway worth Rs14.538 billion; construction of Right Bank Access Road worth Rs2.713 billion; construction of 132 kilovolt (KV) transmission line from Duber Khwar Hydel Power Station to Dasu worth Rs1.583 billion; construction of project colony and allied infrastructure worth Rs4.8 billion; and construction of resettlement sites and Shatial Museum worth Rs571.95 million.

Other participants of the meeting included Dasu Hydropowr Project General Manager Haji M Farooq, General Manger (CCC) Nasir Hanif and representatives of the DHC Consultants.