World Bank approves US$1 billion additional financing for DASU hydropower project

“Pakistan’s energy sector suffers from multiple challenges to achieving affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy,” said Najy Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. “The DASU Hydropower Project site is one of the best hydropower sites in the world and is a game changer for the Pakistan energy sector. With a very small footprint, the DHP will contribute to ‘greening’ the energy sector and lowering the cost of electricity.”

DHP is a run-of-river project on the Indus River about 8 km from Dasu Town, the capital of the Upper Kohistan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Upon completion, it will have an installed capacity of 4320 – 5400 MW. The project is being built in stages. DHP-I has a capacity of 2160 MW and will generate 12 225 GWh/y of low-cost renewable energy. The DHP-II will add 9260 – 11 400 GWh/y from the same dam.

“DHP-I is an essential project in Pakistan’s efforts to reverse its dependence on fossil fuels and reach 60% renewable energy by 2031,” added Rikard Liden, Task Team Leader for the Project. “The second additional financing will facilitate the expansion of electricity supply and potentially save Pakistan an estimated US$1.8 billion annually by replacing imported fuels, and offset around 5 million t of carbon dioxide. The annual economic return of DHP-I is estimated to be around 28%.”

The additional financing will further support ongoing socio-economic initiatives in Upper Kohistan, particularly in the areas of education, health, employment, and transport. Through this project adult literacy has increased by an estimated 30% since 2012, boys’ schooling increased by 16% while girls’ schooling has increased by 70% during this period. The project will also continue ongoing community development activities on roads, irrigation schemes, schools, medical facilities, mosques, bridges, solar energy systems, and science laboratories and libraries, all with a particular focus on women beneficiaries, including the establishment of free healthcare clinics/camps with women doctors/nurses, trainings for female health workers, trainings on livelihoods and literacy for women, and awareness-raising programmes on health and hygiene.

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