Foreign firms submit proposals for Dasu dam

LAHORE: At least 10 foreign firms and joint ventures have submitted proposals for the construction of the main dam of 4,320-megawatt Dasu hydropower project, a government statement said on Friday.
“Eight of them have also submitted their proposals for the construction of underground power complex of the project,” it said. “Some of them have expressed interest for financial arrangement.”
The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) said the World Bank is financing stage-I of the project with an IDA (International Development Association) credit of $588.4 million and an IDA PCG (partial credit guarantees) of $460 million.
“Completion of the first stage will contribute more than 12 billion units of cheap, affordable and environment-friendly electricity to the national grid,” it said. “The project will also provide relief to consumers by reducing power tariff and usher in a new era of socio-economic development in the far-flung areas of KPK (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa).”
Four of the firms and joint ventures are from Turkey, one from Italy, three from China, one from Korea and one belongs to Vietnam.
The run-of-the-river Dasu hydropower dam is being constructed in Kohistan district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The Wapda has started the evaluation of the proposals, the statement said. “On completion of the process, the bid documents will be issued to the pre-qualified firms and joint ventures.”