Chashma Barrage
Location: Punjab
Operator: WAPDA
Configuration: 8 X 22.5-MW bulb
Operation: 2000-2001
T/G supplier: Fuji
EPC: Sogreah, National Engineering Services, Hyundai
Quick facts: Due to the low head, this site at Chashma on the Indus River was not particularly attractive for power development until the deployment of more efficient bulb turbine technology. The plant was completed in Mar 2001.

Gomal Zam
Location: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Operator: North West Frontier Province Irrigation & Drainage Authority
Configuration: 2 X 8.7-MW Francis
Operation: 2013
T/G supplier: Nanning
EPC: China National Water Resources & Hydropower Engineering, Harbin Power Engineering Co, Sinohydro
Quick facts: This 133m high RCC dam is on the Gomal River at a narrow ravine near Khajuri Kach in South Waziristan Agency. The Gomal flows from Afghanistan southeast to the Indus River. The site was first identified by British engineers in 1898 and first work for a multipuropose project was approved in 1963. In the event, construction did not begin until Aug 2001. A Chinese JV was hired in 2002 to build the project but work was terminated in Oct 2006 after serious local security issues. In 2007 the Frontier Works Organisation was put in charge and Sinohydro was retained to complete the dam and power station. By year-end 2011, construction was said to be 98% complete with full operation scheduled for early 2013. The total cost of the project is about Rs 12bn. USAID provided funding for project completion.

Ghazi Barotha
Location: Punjab
Operator: WAPDA
Configuration: 5 X 290 MW Francis
Operation: 2003-2004
T/G supplier: Voith, Toshiba
EPC: Pakistan Hydro Consultants, Associated Consulting Engineers, Binnie, Harza, Ewbank Preece, Impreglio, Zublin, Nazir & Co, Saadullah Khan & Brothers
Quick facts: The project cost about $2.1bn and was supported by lending from the ADB, EIB, Islamic Development Bank, JBIC, KfW, and the World Bank. Construction started in Dec 1995 and Unit-1 testing started in May 2003.

Malakand-III
Location: Khyber-PakhtunkhwaWF
Operator: Sarhad Hydel Development Organization
Configuration: 3 X 27 MW Francis
Operation: 2008
T/G supplier: Harbin
EPC: China International Water & Electric, Harbin Power Station Engineering, Pakistan Engineering Services, Northeast Investigation Design & Research Inst, Albario Engineering
Quick facts: This hydel project is not far from the existing power stations of Jabban and Dargai on Upper Swat Canal System, Swabi Scarp, in NWFP, 165km from Islamabad. The project cost about $44mn inclusive of a 132kV link to Dargai. Malakand-III is linked with the Bezai irrigation scheme whereby over 20,000ac of additional land will be brought under irrigation for use by residents of Mardan, Swabi and adjacent areas. Unit-1 went online in Jun 2008 and the plant was turned over on 26 Dec 2008.

Mangla
Location: AJK
Operator: WAPDA
Configuration: 8 X 100-MW Francis
Operation: 1977-1994
T/G supplier: MHI, Hitachi, ACEC Escher Wyss, CKD, Skoda
EPC: National Engineering Services, Albario Engineering, Frontier Works Organisation, ICC (Pvt) Ltd
Quick facts: This earthfill dam 120km southeast of Islamabad on the Jhelum River is the 12th largest in the world. The 3.35km crest rises 116m from the river bed at its maximum. Initial investigations for the multipurpose project began in 1958, followed by construction in 1962 and dam completion in 1967. Power generation equipment was added starting about 10yrs later. Plant output in 2006/07 was 6,150 GWhs. The tailrace discharges to the New Bob Canal.

Photograph courtesy of Pakistan Electric Power Co
Posted 10 Oct 2009

Tarbela
Location: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Operator: WAPDA
Configuration: 10 x 175-MW, 4 x 432-MW Francis
Operation: 1977-1993
T/G supplier: Hitachi, DEW, DB Sulzer, CGE, SZEW, ABB, Siemens
EPC: Campenon-Bernard, CT Main, Descon Engineering, National Engineering Services
Quick facts: After the conclusion of the Indus Basin Treaty with India in 1960, work was started on the massive, 16-component Indus Basin Project (IBP). The largest rock and earthfill dam in the world was built in 1974 on the Indus River at Tarbela. The 148m high, 3000m long dam has two gated spillways and five tunnels that provide irrigation releases and water for power generation. Tarbela was the last facility to be built under the Indus Basin Settlement Plan and generates around 15 TWh/yr. Three 450-MW units are in planning for the site.

Photograph courtesy of Pakistan Electric Power Co
Posted 2 Oct 2011

Warsak
Location: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Operator: WAPDA
Configuration: 6 X 40-MW Francis
Operation: 1960-1981
T/G supplier: DEW, CGE
EPC: Acres, National Engineering Services, Angus Robertson
Quick facts: Warsak is on the River Kabul 30km from Peshawar and 60km northwest of Tarbela Dam. The project was financed by the Canadian Government as part of the Colombo Plan. The 250ft high, 460ft long concrete gravity dam has a nine-gate spillway . The first phase consisting of the dam, an irrigation tunnel, four T/G sets, and a 132kv transmission system was completed in 1960 at a total cost of Rs.394.98mn. Two additional generating units were added in 1980/81 at a cost of Rs.106.25mn. Warsak Reservoir is silted up and there is almost no available storage, meaning the plant is managed as a run-of-the-river project. From October to March, the Warsak power station runs at less than half capacity.