Diamer-Bhasha
LOCATION: The Dam will be located on the River Indus in Northern Pakistan, about 315 km upstream of Tarbela Dam, 165 km downstream of the Northern Areas capital of Gilgit and 40 km downstream of Chilas.
MAIN DAM Maximum Height: 270 m
Type Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC)
DIVERSION SYSTEM 2 No. Diversion tunnels 1 No. Diversion canal Upstream and Downstream Cofferdams
MAIN SPILLWAY No. of gates 9 Size of gate 16.5 ? 15.0 m
RESERVOIR LEVEL 1160 m Gross capacity 7,300,000 acre feet (9.00×109 m3) Live capacity 6,400,000 acre feet (7.89×109 m3) Min. operation level El. 1060 m
OUTLETS Intermediate level 8 Low level 4
POWERHOUSE(S) 2 Total installed capacity 4500 MW Location and type Toe of the Dam (one each on the right and left side) No. of units 8, each of 560 MW Average generation 16,500 Gwh/year
ESTIMATED COST
(YEAR 2008) US$12 Billion
Diamer-Bhasha Dam is a concrete-filled gravity dam, in the preliminary stages of construction, on the River Indus in Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan. Its foundation stone was laid by the then Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani of Pakistan on 18 October 2011. Upon completion, Diamer-Bhasha Dam would be the highest roller-compacted concrete (RCC) dam in the world.[3] The dam site is situated near a place called
“Bhasha” in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer
District, hence the name.
Upon completion, Diamer-Bhasha Dam would (i) produce 4,500 megawatts of electricity through environmentally clean hydropower generation; (ii) store an extra 8,500,000 acre feet (10.5 km3) of water for Pakistan that would be used for irrigation and drinking; (iii) extend the life of Tarbela Dam located downstream by 35 years; and (iv) control flood damage by the River Indus downstream during high floods.
However, in response to using Basha Dam to sideline the Kalabagh Dam, Engineer Anwer Khurshid has stated that “Bhasha dam is no substitute for Kalabagh dam not because of its altitude which is high enough, but because no irrigation canals can be taken out from it because of the hilly terrain. No canals can be taken out from any dam on the Indus except from Kalabagh Dam.”[4]
It will have a height of 272 meters spillway with fourteen gates each 11.5 m x 16.24 m. The gross capacity of the reservoir will be 8,100,000 acre feet (10.0 km3), with a live storage of 6,400,000 acre feet (7.9 km3). Two underground powerhouses are being proposed, one on each side of the main dam having six turbines on each side with a total installed capacity of 4500 MW.
Background
In January 2006, the Government of Pakistan under President Pervez Musharraf announced the decision to construct 5 multi-purpose storage dams in the country during next 10–12 years. According to the plan, the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project was proposed to be built in the first phase.[5] In November 2008, the Executive Committee of National Economic Council formally approved the project. Council of Common Interests Pakistan, a constitutional body representing the provinces, also approved the construction of the dam. The Prime Minister of Pakistan laid the foundation stone of the project on
On 14 November 2017, Pakistan dropped its bid [18]to have the dam financed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework as China placed strict conditions including on the ownership of the project. China had projected the cost of the dam to be $14 billion and for securitisation of its, investment China wanted Pakistan to pledge another operational dam to it.
On July 4th, 2018, the Supreme Court of Pakistan directed the government to begin construction on the dam, as well as the Mohmand Dam, to resolve a water shortage. The Chief Justice of the court gave a donation of 1 million Pakistani rupees for the construction of the two dams.[19] On July 6th, the government of Pakistan set up a fund for the construction of the Diamer Bhasha Dam.[20] Fundraising through bank accounts and cellular companies was initiated for participation.
On 9th Sep 2018 a WAPDA Official have revealed that at least 12 billion dollars are required to build Diamer Bhasha Dam. 5 billion dollars are required to build infrastructure while another 7 billion dollars are required for the power generation.
On 1st Nov 2018 PM-CJP fund for Diamer Bhasha and Mohmand Dams which was opened in beginning of 3rd Quarter of 2018 i.e. in July 2018 its funds have reached USD 54.5 million (i.e. PKR 7.3 billion) approximately.
Diamir Bhasha dam is expected to start in April 2020 (1/5 land still to be acquired for reaching total required of 37500 Acres) and Bhasha Dam expected Completion is in 9 (Nine) years i.e. Apr 2029.
Mohmand Dam is expected to start in April 2019 and its expected Completion is in 6 years i.e. by 2025.
PM Imran Khan urged overseas Pakistanis to contribute to dam fund and donate generously (atleast USD1000 per person) on an emergency basis due to possible shortage of water by 2025 that can lead to drought like situation in the country. In response many people committed to share in the Dams fund. However Overseas Pakistanis demand from Imran Khan Government to bring back all the public money that was money laundered and looted by the previous Governments of Nawaz Sharif (Convicted by Supreme Court), including Nawaz family members Ishaq Dar Ex-Finance Minister, Hassan Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz, Maryam Nawaz (Convicted by Supreme Court) and Asif Ali Zardari and other corrupt politicians like Asfand Yar wali, Mahmoud Khan Achakzai, FazalurRehman and Khurshid Shah etc… and their front men’s (like Anwar Majeed, Aslam Masood CFO-Omni Group) and anchor’s, lawyers who were used to be paid by the public taxes. Pakistan is successfully cracking down on corrupt politicians however Ishaq Dar is still at large in UK. In this situation, Ishaq Dar’s FCA title from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Pakistan is highly questionable as Mr.Ishaq Dar is a convicted felon, carried out money laundering and terrorist financing and has an arrest warrant issued by Pakistani courts but is staying in UK at present.
Design
The project is located on Indus River, about 315 km upstream of Tarbela Dam, 165 km downstream of the Northern Area capital Gilgit and 40 km downstream of Chilas.
Main Dam:
Maximum Height: 272 meters
Type: roller compacted concrete (RCC)
Diversion System:
Tunnels: 2
Canals: 1
Cofferdam: Upstream and Downstream
Main Spillway:
Gates: 9
Size: 16.5×15.0 m
Reservoir Level: 1160 m
Min Operation Level Elevation: 1060 m
Gross Capacity: 7,300,000 acre feet
(9.0 km3)
Live Capacity: 6,400,000 acre feet (7.9 km3)
Outlets:
Intermediate Level:8
Low Level: 4
Powerhouses:
No. of Powerhouses: 2
Total Installed Capacity: 4,500 MW
Location of Powerhouses: one each on right and left side
No. of Generator Units: 8
Capacity/Unit: 560 MW
Average Power Generation; 16,500 GWh
Estimated Cost: US $14 Billion (2013
Estimate)
Source: apda.gov.pk
Mohmand Dam Project
Location:
This project is proposed to be constructed on Swat River at a distance of about 48 km from Peshawar in Mohmand Tribal District KPK.
Mohmand Dam is a proposed multi-purpose concrete-faced rock-filled dam located on the Swat River approximately 37 km north of Peshawar and 5 km upstream of Munda Headworks in Mohmand District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Once completed, the dam will generate 740 MW of hydroelectricity, irrigate 15,100 acres of land and control floods downstream.
It is expected to provide numerous estimated annual benefits including Rs. 4.98 billion in annual water storage benefits, Rs. 19.6 billion in power generation benefits by generating 2.4 billion units of electricity annually and Rs. 79 million in annual flood mitigation benefits.[3][2]Munda Dam is also expected to protect Nowshera and Charsadda districts from seasonal floods by storing peak flood water in its reservoir and releasing it in dry seasons.[2] In December 2010, in the aftermath of the July 2010 floods in Pakistan, the Pakistan Supreme Court had constituted a flood inquiry commission to investigate the damage caused by the July floods that engulfed the country and caused unprecedented damage to life and property. In its report, the commission noted that if the Munda Dam had been constructed, there would have been minimal damage downstream in Charsadda, Peshawar and Nowshera districts and Munda Headworks.[5].The reservoir that will be created behind the dam would also provide recreational facilities and promote fisheries.
Planning and Financing
The initial feasibility study of the Munda Dam Project was completed in March 2000. Subsequently, Pakistan’s Ministry of Water & Power awarded a review of the initial feasibility study to an American firm, AMZO LLC, which submitted a revised feasibility study to the Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB). The Ministry of Water & Power reassigned the project to Pakistan’s Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) for carrying out detailed engineering design and construction of the project. Revised Project Cost (PC-II) amounting to Rs. 648.324 million was approved by CDWP subject to availability of foreign funding. Expression of Interest (EOI) for shortlisting of consultants for detailed engineering design and preparation of tender documents were received on 23 November 2010. Nine firms/joint ventures (JVs) submitted EOI documents out of which five firms/JVs were shortlisted and RFP issued to shortlisted firms. Technical and financial proposals from shortlisted firms for detailed engineering design and preparation of tender documents were invited on 6 July 2011.[1] A consortium of consulting firms comprising (i) SMEC(Australia), (ii) NK (Japan) and (iii) NESPAK-ACE-BAK (Pakistan) were finalized as the detailed engineering design consultants for the project in August 2011.[3] Currently, the dam is in final detailed design.
France has granted Euro 61 million (Rs. 8.5 Billion) funding for two hydropower projects in Pakistan. The two projects were Munda hydropower project (740 MW) located in Mohmand Agency, KPK and Harpo hydropower project (35 MW) in the Gilgit-Baltistan, Skardu region.[7]
On 6 July, 2018 chief justice of Pakistan donated 1 million Pakistani rupees for the construction of Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand Dam.
Salient features
Dam:
Type: Concrete-Faced Rock-Filled
Length: 2,500 ft (760 m)[6]
Height: 698.82 ft (213.00 m)
Width: N/A
Reservoir Capacity:
Gross: 1.290 Million acre-feet (MAF)
Live: 0.676 MAF
Dead: 0.314 MAF
Flood: 0.081 MAF
Power Generation:
Maximum Capacity: 740 MW
Command Area:
Total: 17,000 Acres
Construction:
Construction Period: 7 years
Source: wapda.gov.pk
