WAPDA Charter
The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) was established through an act of parliament in February 1958 for integrated and rapid development and maintenance of water and power resources of the country. This includes controlling soil salinity and water logging to rehabilitate the affected land in order to strengthen the predominantly agricultural economy of the country.

As per the charter, amended in March 1959 to transfer the existing electricity departments from the federating units to it, WAPDA has been assigned the duties of investigation, planning and execution of projects and schemes for:
•    Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Power,
•    Irrigation, Water Supply and Drainage,
•    Prevention of Water Logging and Reclamation of Saline Land,
•    Flood Control and
•    Inland Navigation.

Under the later on developments, vis-à-vis the “Energy Policy 1994”, setting up of thermal power generation projects was shifted to the private sector. Similarly, as a result of restructuring of the Power Wing, the utility part was corporatised into independent companies. This shifts from convergence to divergence gave birth to 14 entities to operate in different zones. These are National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), four Thermal Power Generation Companies (GENCOs) and nine Distribution Companies (DISCOs). The present status of these companies is of corporate public limited entities under the residual Power Wing is therefore now responsible for major hydro-electric power projects and schemes in operation.

Human Resources
The Authority comprises of a Chairman and three Members, each heading Water, Power and Finance Wing. The Members oversee the affairs of their respective wings through General Managers for the streamlined operations in their respective areas. During past 62 years of its operations, WAPDA has developed its human resource as a reservoir of knowledge, competence and expertise through training and experience gained at the accomplished projects and remaining associated with diversified development activities. These include professionals, specialists, scientists, economists, administrators, accountants and skilled workers for planning, building, managing and operating various projects.

Water Wing
Water Wing Member (Water) controls the water wing through its implementation divisions including North, Central, South and Northern Areas in addition to project specific zones including Mangla, Neelum Jhelum, Mohmand Dam Diamer Basha Dam and Dasu Hydropower Projects. These zones cover, in general, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJ&K. The activity of water wing involves execution of water storage Dams conveyance canals development of hydropower projects, Salinity Control & Reclamation Projects (SCARPS) and research in water sector. Chief Engineers and Projects Directors at various levels are responsible for effective and timely implementation of Water Wing Projects. Financial affairs of this wing are looked after by GM Finance (Water). Apart from project offices, there are other offices including Hydro Resources Management (HRM), Technical Services (TS), Hydro Planning, Coordination & Monitoring (C&M) and Central Design Office (CDO) which provide various technical services to different projects.

Hydro Resources Management (HRM) is responsible for the management of water resources throughout the country. This office performs various tasks like monitoring, collection, evaluation and publishing of hydro-meteorological data for planning, development and operation of water resources projects; coordination with federal/provincial flood management and reservoir operation authorities; , forecasting of water availability for distribution of water among provinces; annual, periodic and special inspections of water sector projects; evaluation of proposals submitted by consultants, reviewing PCII & PC-I for various projects and additional assignments assigned from time to time etc.

Technical Services (TS) provides technical advisory services on different water resources and hydropower projects.

Central Design Office (CDO) is responsible for providing one window design services for projects such as dams, power houses, irrigation and drainage networks, flood protection, roads and buildings, providing technical support to the field formations of WAPDA (Water Wing), GENCO, NTDC, DISCOs etc. during the implementation/construction of the new projects and remedial measures/trouble shooting for already completed projects reviewing of detail designs, tender/construction drawings, technical specifications implied/used by Consultants appointed for study of WAPDA Projects, imparting training to water wing drafting staff required for the departmental promotion and establishing drafting standards, schedule of rates and verification of nonscheduled rates etc.

Hydro Planning Organization (HPO) is responsible for planning and feasibility studies of hydropower & water resources projects in the country. HPO at present has taken up hydropower projects at various stages of study having a total capacity of over 20,000 MW.

The Office of Coordination & Monitoring Water provides streamlined information of Water Wing to the Government functionaries and Ministries. This office also has the responsibility of Human Resource Management & Administration to all WAPDA Water Wing office.

Power Wing
WAPDA Power Wing  is now responsible for operation and maintenance of the Hydel Power Stations under generation license granted by NEPRA in the name of General Manager (Hydel) Operation After-de-bundling of WAPDA into various companies related to the business of Thermal Generation, Transmission and Distribution,. The electricity produced from these Power Stations is delivered to NTDCL Grid System and invoices are raised to CPPAG according to the Tariff approved by NEPRA.

Rehabilitation/ Refurbishment of old Hydel Power Stations is also planned and implemented to enhance the reliability and life of power plants. WAPDA is also responsible to associate and monitor the designs and erection/commissioning of future hydroelectric power stations and other Electrical & Mechanical Equipment.

Power Wing is also providing technical and management trainings to its employees for capacity building at WAPDA Administrative & Staff College Islamabad, WAPDA Engineering Academy Faisalabad and Hydel Training Centre Mangla. This facility is also extended to employees of ex-WAPDA entities (NTDCL/DISCOs/GENCOs), AJK Hydro Board, Gilgit Baltistan and Power Stations in private sector.

A separate establishment also exists in the Power Wing for Purchase & Disposal of unserviceable or surplus materials/items in all WAPDA formations. All the financial matters of Power Wing are managed by General Manager (Finance) Power under the control of Member Power.

Presently, the total installed capacity of 21 No. WAPDA Hydel Power Stations is 8420 MW which is about 23% of the total system capacity of 36,166 MW from all sources. The Net Electrical Output is about 32,000 GWh per annum.

Finance
Member (Finance) oversees the financing functions of WAPDA and is the administrative head of WAPDA Audit, Accounts, Finance and Costing Cadres.
General Manager (HRD) is vested with the responsibility for overall administration and services.

Secretary WAPDA in addition to looking after day-to-day affairs of the Secretariat, prepares minutes of the Authority's meetings, maintains records of its decisions and issues its directives and coordinates among the three Wings besides monitoring and implementation of Authority's decisions.

Authority Fund
The Authority Fund consists of the following:
•    Loans and grants obtained from the federal and provincial governments
•    Sale proceeds of WAPDA Bonds
•    Loans obtained by the Authority with general sanctions of the government
•    Foreign aids and loans obtained from the IBRD, ADB and other International loan giving agencies on such terms and conditions as may be approved by the Government
•    All other sums received by the Authority