ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed authorities to incorporate the $8 billion Diamer Bhasha Hydropower Project (DBHP) into the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), sources from the Ministry of Water Resources revealed.
The project promises significant benefits, including 6.4 MAF water storage and the generation of 18.1 billion units of electricity annually. While $500 million in foreign financing is secured, $3.5 billion more is needed. WAPDA, responsible for the project, is funding it through hydropower tariffs and aims to recover the power generation costs from consumers.
Chinese firm PowerChina, already involved in the project, is bidding for the second phase. The firm expressed readiness to ensure timely, high-quality completion.
Story by Mushtaq Ghumman