Mohmand Dam to generate 800 MW of low-cost hydel electricity

ISLAMABAD, January 18: Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project has the capacity to generate 800 megawatts (MW) of low-cost hydel electricity, irrigate 15,100 acres of land and control floods downstream in the area. Mohmand Dam is historic and unique in nature being constructed on River Swat in Tribal District Mohmand of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, is scheduled to be completed in 2024. The dam would also store about 1.2 million acre-feet (MAF) of water, besides supplementing 160,000 acres of existing land and about 16,700 acres of new land will also be irrigated, said an official source. In addition, 300 million gallons of water per day will also be supplied to Peshawar for drinking purposes and the annual benefits of the project have been estimated at Rs. 51.6 billion. Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project will phenomenally contribute towards the water, food, and energy security of the country. Water and Power Regulatory Authority (WAPDA) is committed to completing the project as early as possible to cope with the ever-increasing needs for water and electricity in the country. The Mohmand Dam would go a long way in stabilizing the national economy besides alleviating poverty and ushering in an era of development in the project area. -NNI