Mohmand Dam project: Wapda set to reach key milestone with Swat River diversion

ISLAMABAD: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) is poised to achieve a major milestone at the Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project, with the completion of diversion tunnels paving the way for the diversion of the Swat River.

The project team is expected to redirect the river after completing the river-closure dyke within the next few days, despite the challenges posed by the high-flow season.

This significant progress is part of a broader range of construction activities underway at the site. In light of these developments, Wapda Chairman Engr Lt Gen (R) Sajjad Ghani visited the project to review the construction work. During his visit, he inspected several key areas, including the outlets and inlets of the diversion tunnels, the powerhouse, the spillway, and the power intake, ensuring that the project is on track to meet its targets.

The Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project is one of Pakistan’s most critical infrastructure projects, aimed at enhancing the country’s energy production capacity and water management. The successful diversion of the Swat River will mark a crucial step forward in the project’s timeline.

Wapda chairman was briefed by the General Manager/Project Director (GM/PD) of the Mohmand Dam Project, along with representatives of the consultants and contractors. The briefing covered the progress at various work fronts, including the completed concrete lining of diversion tunnel 3/1 and the readiness of its inlet structure for the impending river diversion. The Chairman was also informed about the ongoing excavation and rock support at the powerhouse and power intake, as well as the rapid progress of concreting at the spillway. Additionally, dam fill material has been dispatched to China as scheduled for large-scale tri-axial testing.

Following his site inspection, Chairman Ghani presided over a progress review meeting at the project office, where he discussed the river diversion plan, quarry development plan, and construction schedule for the main dam with the WAPDA team, consultants, and contractors. He emphasized the importance of adhering to quality specifications throughout the construction process.

The Mohmand Dam Project, situated on the Swat River in the Mohmand District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is a landmark initiative. It is set to be the fifth-highest concrete-face-rock-fill dam (CFRD) in the world and the tallest in Pakistan. Scheduled for completion in 2026-27, this multipurpose project will play a critical role in water storage for agriculture, flood control, urban water supply for Peshawar, and the generation of green, clean, and economically affordable hydropower.

The dam will have a storage capacity of 1.29 million acre-feet (MAF) of water, enabling the irrigation of 18,237 acres of new land in Mohmand and Charsadda, as well as supplementing irrigation supplies to 160,000 acres of existing land. With an installed power capacity of 800 megawatts (MW) and an expected annual energy generation of 2.86 billion units, the dam will also supply 300 million gallons of water per day to Peshawar for drinking purposes. The annual economic benefits of the project are estimated at Rs51.6 billion.