LAHORE: The Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) signed an agreement on Saturday with the Power China-IKAN Joint Venture for the Rs133.18 billion hydro-mechanical (HM-1) contract for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project.
According to a Wapda spokesperson, the agreement was signed at Wapda House by Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project Chief Engineer and Project Director Arif Ali on behalf of the authority and Ling Jianke, the authorised representative of the joint venture.
Wapda Chairman retired Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed, the authority’s members for finance, water and power, the chief executive officer of the Diamer-Bhasha Development Company, a delegation from the joint venture led by Power China International Group Limited chairman, and representatives of the consultants also attended the ceremony.
The HM-1 contract covers the project’s hydro-mechanical equipment and hydraulic steel structures. The work includes the manufacture, supply and installation of gates and steel structures to control water flows at the dam.
The equipment will be installed at the flushing tunnels on both banks, the power intakes and the dam outlets. The contract also covers steel lining, hoisting and pumping systems, and related electrical works.
The spokesperson said the Diamer-Bhasha Dam was a priority project of the federal government for ensuring the country’s water, food and energy security. The dam is being built across the Indus River, 40km downstream of Chilas.
Upon completion, it will have a gross water storage capacity of 8.1 million acre-feet and an installed power generation capacity of 4,500 megawatts.
Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2026
