Mohmand: The 800MW Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project, designed to produce affordable and eco-friendly electricity, is on track to start operations by 2027.
Following the successful diversion of the Swat River in August 2024, construction is moving ahead rapidly on all major fronts of the project.
Initiated in 2019, the dam is being built in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and aims to address multiple challenges, including flood control, irrigation, and power generation. Once completed, the concrete-faced rockfill dam will stand 700 feet high and generate 800 megawatts of electricity.
On Monday, Wapda Chairman Lt Gen (Retd) Sajjad Ghani visited the site to assess the progress on key structures like the spillway, upstream and downstream cofferdams, diversion tunnels, and powerhouse. During a briefing by the project director, consultants, and contractors, it was reported that the spillway’s concrete work is advancing ahead of schedule, while the downstream cofferdam has reached its designed height. The upstream cofferdam is expected to reach its full elevation of 414 meters above sea level by April 2025.
Excavation for the main dam’s foundation and side slopes is also underway, along with work on the power tunnel, penstocks, manifold/shaft access tunnels, and irrigation tunnels. Construction on the left-side main canal is progressing as well.
Following the site inspection, the chairman chaired a detailed progress review meeting at the project office. Discussions covered key aspects such as quarry development, large-scale triaxial machine testing, and the electrical and mechanical design and manufacturing processes.
Emphasizing the importance of timely quarry development for the dam’s construction, Ghani urged contractors to mobilize additional resources and accelerate the work without compromising quality. He also instructed project managers, consultants, and contractors to ensure strict adherence to project timelines.
The Mohmand Dam, being built across the Swat River in the Mohmand district, is poised to become the world’s fifth-highest concrete-faced rockfill dam upon completion.
