ACCORDING to media reports, the power generation capacity of the Warsak dam has reduced to 150 MW as the total power generation capacity of the project was 243 MW when the scheme was launched almost 53 years ago.

The decrease in generation is due to the fact that the reservoir has silted up over the passage of time. It has been further reported that the structural deformation of the power house and rapid erosion of the hydraulic equipment due to the silt in the Kabul river led to the reduction in the output. It merits a mention that the Warsak dam was built on the River Kabul, some 30km northwest of Peshawar. The project is providing cheap electricity to the national grid, besides providing irrigation water facilities to the lands in the area.

The dam has silted up and it is almost impossible to desilt it as this exercise will require more money than building a new dam. It may be added that the dams are cost-effective and environment-friendly compared to thermal power plants.

In view of the above, there is an urgent need for rehabilitation of the Warsak dam and replacement of the old generators with new ones so as to increase its generation capacity.

Khan Faraz

Peshawar

Published in Dawn, September 15th , 2014