Federal Minister for Water Resources, Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prioritizing clean, green, and environmentally sustainable electricity to stabilize the national economy and ease the burden on consumers.
During a visit to the under-construction 1530 MW Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project, the minister emphasized that major hydropower initiatives led by WAPDA are central to the government’s least-cost energy generation plan, with full backing from the Ministry of Water Resources to ensure timely completion.
The visit was detailed in a press release issued Wednesday. The Minister was accompanied by WAPDA Chairman Naveed Asghar Chaudhry, along with Member Power, Member Water, GM Tarbela Dam, GM Power Tarbela, GM/PD Tarbela 5th Extension, and project managers representing consultants and contractors.
While inspecting the site, the Minister reviewed progress on major components of the project, including the power intake, penstock, powerhouse, and connecting tunnel. He was briefed on the progress at each of the seven key construction fronts, which are reportedly advancing steadily. The project is scheduled to begin electricity generation in 2026.
Expressing satisfaction with the pace of development, Minister Wattoo urged the project management to stay on track and deliver the project within the established timeline.
The Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project is being constructed on Tunnel No. 5 of Tarbela Dam. It is being financed through international assistance, with the World Bank contributing US$ 390 million and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) providing US$ 300 million.
Once operational, the project will have a total installed capacity of 1530 MW, supplying an estimated 1.347 billion units of hydel electricity annually to the national grid. Completion of the extension will boost Tarbela Dam’s total installed capacity from 4888 MW to 6418 MW.
