The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has raised alarm over delays in energising the 132 kV transmission line required to connect the Dasu hydropower project, warning that any further lag could disrupt construction timelines and create complications at the government level, Business Recorder reported.
Wapda Member (Power) Muhammad Arfan wrote to the CEO of Hazara Electric Supply Company (HAZECO), stressing that the physical completion of the line is nearing and energisation is now essential. “Energisation of this 132 kV circuit is the prerequisite for further acceleration of the construction activities at Dasu Hydropower Project,” he stated, adding that the government has issued “very explicit directions” for timely completion of the project.
Work on the line, which will bring power from the Dubair Khwar Hydropower Project to the Dasu site, had previously been suspended due to local social issues. Wapda said it has resolved these disputes, allowing installation of towers and conductors to resume. Any delay now, the letter warned, would create “a very untoward situation” for all stakeholders.
The World Bank has also underscored the importance of keeping the project on schedule. It has urged federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa authorities, along with Wapda, to ensure worker safety and minimise work stoppages, noting that protests by local communities have disrupted the transmission line’s construction since 2017. Without the line, dam construction cannot begin.
The Bank highlighted additional bottlenecks in resettlement and land clearance. While compensation has been paid for over 640 houses under Enhanced Self-Managed Relocation (ESMR), the structures have not yet been demolished. This delay has stalled work on Karakoram Highway Section 2 (KKH2) and the Right Bank Access Road Section 2 (RAR2), with no progress reported in six months.
Authorities say the district police office has now agreed to provide security to teams responsible for demolition to ensure worker protection as efforts resume.
