Project Implementation of Ghazi Barotha Hydro Power Project

Ghazi Barotha Hydropower Project with a generation capacity of 1450 MW and an average energy output of 6600 GWh is a large, renewable and emission free source of energy towards WAPDA's vision 2025 goals.

The shortage of electrical power at affordable cost has long been identified as one of the main hurdles to the industrial and economic growth of Pakistan. The demand for electricity is growing rapidly and requires a considerable increase in the rate at which new generating capacity is introduced. Presently demand is met through a mix of thermal and hydroelectric plants. The percentage of thermal power generation has continued to increase in recent years, with a noticeable impact on unit cost of generation. WAPDA has continually sought to maximize the country's capacity for Hydropower generation and reduce the dependence upon thermal power generation.

 In the Feasibility Report, the time for Project implementation of Civil and M&E contracts was estimated as 63 months starting from 01 April 1993. With the approval of PC-1 of Preparatory works including land acquisition, relocation, resettlement, and construction of colonies and other infrastructure for Project were commenced in 1995. The implementation of the Project ultimately came to fruition with the inauguration ceremony of the commissioning of Unit No.1 and Unit No.2 on 19 August 2003 by the President of Pakistan. The work on the commissioning of other units continued and Unit no.5 was commissioned in April 2004. The construction of the North Head pond was completed in December 2004, thus completing the implementation of the Project works.

Project Financing

The PC-I of the Project was approved by Government of Pakistan in July 1994 at a total cost of Rs. 89840 million. The total cost which has been incurred on the Project is Rs. 96957 million. The Project has been funded by WAPDA supported by the following international lending agencies:

• World Bank
• Asian Development Bank
• Japanese Bank for International Cooperation
• Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau (KfW)
• European Investment Bank
• Islamic Development Bank

In Pictures