The second dam construction in Pakistan assisted by China. The Diamer-Bhasha Dam is a large, multi-purpose dam project under construction in Pakistan, located on the Indus River near Chilas, at the boundary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. It’s a significant undertaking aimed at addressing Pakistan’s growing water and energy needs.
Purpose and Benefits:
Water Storage and Irrigation: The dam is designed to store a significant amount of water, with a gross capacity of 8.1 million acre-feet (MAF) and a live storage of 6.4 MAF. This water will be used to irrigate 1.23 million acres of agricultural land, crucial for Pakistan’s agrarian economy. It will also help extend the lifespan of the downstream Tarbela Dam by reducing sediment deposits.
Hydropower Generation: It will have an installed capacity of 4,500 megawatts (MW), generating an estimated 18 billion units of clean, low-cost electricity annually. This is vital for addressing the country’s energy shortages.
Flood Control: The dam is expected to help control flash floods in the Indus River downstream, mitigating damage during high flow seasons.
Economic Prosperity: The project is anticipated to create job opportunities and boost agricultural productivity, contributing to economic growth in the region.
Key Features and Specifications:
Type of Dam: Roller-compacted concrete (RCC) gravity dam.
Height: 272 meters (892 feet), making it the world’s tallest RCC dam.
Reservoir: Gross capacity of 10 billion cubic meters (8.1 MAF), with a live storage of 7.9 billion cubic meters (6.4 MAF).
Spillway: Features 14 gates, each 11.5m x 16.24m.
Powerhouses: Two underground powerhouses, one on each side of the main dam, with a total of 12 turbines (375 MW each).
Project Status and Timeline:
Inception: The construction of the dam was first suggested in 1980, and the project was inaugurated in 1998.
Construction: Actual construction work commenced in 2020.
Estimated Completion: The project is currently scheduled for completion by 2028-2029. Construction is ongoing at 17 key sites, including diversion tunnels, coffer dams, and the dam pit.
A joint venture of China Power (Power Construction Corporation of China) and Pakistan’s Frontier Works Organization (FWO) was awarded the contract for the construction of the diversion system, main dam, and access bridge for the project. China Power holds a 70% share in this consortium.
Chinese engineers and workers are actively on site, contributing to the dam’s construction, and it’s considered a significant symbol of China-Pakistan cooperation, with its construction being part of the broader Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Funding:
Estimated Cost: The total estimated cost of the project is around $14 billion (2013 estimate), with an updated figure of $8 billion for the dam itself and additional costs for the transmission line.
Financing Challenges: Historically, the project faced challenges in securing international funding due to its location in disputed territory.
Current Funding Strategy: Pakistan is pursuing various options for financing, including:
Issuing its first-ever green bond in 2021, which raised $500 million.
Seeking financial assistance from countries like Saudi Arabia (a request for $3.5 billion in concessional loans and equity investment).
Exploring the possibility of including the project in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Funding from WAPDA’s existing tariff revenue from hydropower generation.
A public fundraising campaign was also initiated by a former Supreme Court judge, though it faced controversy regarding the amount raised versus advertising costs.
Construction Progress:
Active Work Sites: Construction work is currently underway on 17 key sites of the project simultaneously and at a good pace. This includes work on diversion tunnels, coffer (temporary) dams, the guide wall, the dam pit, and permanent access bridges.
River Diversion: The river diversion system is functioning satisfactorily, allowing the Indus River to bypass the main dam site, which is crucial for continued construction of the main dam structure.
Excavation: Excavation work on the dam’s abutment (the part of the dam that connects to the valley walls) is ongoing.
Permanent Access Bridge: The permanent access bridge downstream of the main dam has been completed.
Overall Progress (Contract MW-I): As of January 2025, the overall progress of Contract MW-I (which covers the main dam and associated structures) stood at 16.09 percent.
Timeline:
The project is currently scheduled for completion by February 2029.
There have been past efforts to accelerate the timeline (e.g., to 2026), but the latest official reports point to the 2029 target.
However, reports from December 2024 indicated a revised completion to December 2030, with financial and defect liabilities extending until December 2032, due to factors like delays in Karakoram Highway relocation, security concerns affecting night shifts, and revisions to the river diversion scheme.
Challenges and Issues:
Government Focus:
The Pakistani government continues to emphasize the critical importance of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam for the country’s water, food, and energy security.
Federal ministers have been directing officials to accelerate work and prioritize the project’s timely completion, especially in light of ongoing water shortages.
Cost Escalation: The estimated cost of the project has significantly increased, from Rs479 billion to Rs1.05 trillion (as of January 2025), a 119.21% surge. This is attributed to:
Exchange rate fluctuations: Rupee devaluation against the US dollar.
Revised design parameters: Based on updated seismic parameters recommended by the International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD), requiring modifications to the main dam, diversion scheme, and hydro-mechanical works.
Enhanced security measures: Due to security incidents involving Chinese contractors and expatriates, leading to increased security deployments and the procurement of a helicopter for safe transport.
Interest during construction for the foreign component.
Protests by Affected Persons: There have been ongoing protests by people affected by the dam, particularly in the Diamer region of Gilgit-Baltistan. Their demands include: Provision of 80% royalty from Diamer-Bhasha Dam and 30% from Dassu Dam to Gilgit-Baltistan. Free electricity generated by the project to Diamer district and discounted rates for the rest of Gilgit-Baltistan. Full and fair compensation for acquired land and affected families. Provision of commercial and residential plots, and development of education, health, and sewerage projects. Jobs for locals at the dam project and regularization of contingent and daily wage workers. These protests have sometimes led to the shutdown of WAPDA offices and private contractor operations at the dam site. The government is engaging with these communities to address their grievances.
Resettlement and Environmental Impact: The project will affect several villages, displacing thousands of people and submerging agricultural land and historical rock carvings/petroglyphs. Compensation and resettlement efforts are ongoing, but have faced protests from affected communities demanding their rights and proper compensation.
Disputed Territory: The dam’s location in Gilgit-Baltistan is a disputed territory between Pakistan and India, which has historically made it difficult to secure international funding from institutions like the World Bank and Asian Development Bank.
Seismic Zone: The dam is located in a high seismic zone, raising concerns about its stability and potential for sympathetic tremors.
Local Disputes: There have been disputes between local tribes over compensation and between Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over claims on royalty from the dam.
Despite these challenges, the Diamer-Bhasha Dam remains a crucial project for Pakistan’s long-term water and energy security.
This video provides an update on the construction progress of the Diamer Basha Dam project. Here’s a summary of the key points:
“Diamer Basha Dam Diversion Tunnel One,” the first tunnel constructed for the project, and shows the diversion of the Indus River from its original path.
It explains that before the main dam is built, focus is placed on diversion tunnels, diversion canals, left and right abutments, and upstream and downstream cofferdams.
Ongoing construction activity with vehicles at the site.
It features the construction of the main dam’s walls.
The slogan “Power the World” of Power China, a Chinese state-owned company involved in the project, is visible.
The video acknowledges the challenging working conditions in the mountainous region and harsh weather, with work continuing in multiple shifts even at night.
Currently, work is underway at 17 different sites of the Diamer Basha Dam.
The video shows the city of Chilas, which is expected to be submerged due to the dam.
It also mentions a tragic accident where a vehicle fell into the river, resulting in fatalities, and notes the support provided by the dam’s companies in such situations.
The hoisting of the Pakistani flag at the construction site evokes patriotic feelings.
The video then shifts to the main dam area, located approximately 1.5 to 2 kilometers away, showing the designated “Dam Area 16” which will be under the dam’s reservoir in the future.
It introduces the newly constructed RK Cache road, which will soon be used to divert traffic from the existing route that is close to the Indus River.
The “Refri Road,” an access road built by WAPDA for the local community, connecting the lower dam site to the Raikot Bridge, spanning about 104-105 kilometers.
The importance of the dam for storing the Indus River’s water, which currently goes to waste, especially during the flood season in April, and how the Diamer Basha and Mohmand dams will be multipurpose projects beneficial for the economy.
