High in the rugged landscape of Tribal District Mohmand, a massive hydropower project is getting closer to reality and which promises to transform lives of the coming generations.
On Thursday, WAPDA Chairman Naveed Asghar Chaudhry visited the Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project which is being built across the Swat river in north of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
His visit wasn’t just ceremonial. He walked the busy construction sites, reviewed progress on the spillway, powerhouse, main dam, diversion system, and power intake, and spoke directly with teams on the ground.
What he glanced at seemed to reassure him. Work on the main dam—which officially initiated this May—is advancing after completing complex preparatory steps like river diversion tunnels, coffer dams, and excavation of the foundations.
Building for Generations
For the engineers and workers spread across 14 different sites, this isn’t just a job—it’s the chance to build something that will outlast them. The powerhouse building is under construction, and electro-mechanical equipment is already in advanced stages of manufacturing. The spillway, crucial for managing river flow and flood safety, is even ahead of schedule.
Chairman Chaudhry seemed encouraged but reminded everyone of what’s at stake. He urged the consultants and contractors to give their best, making sure this huge investment is delivered on time. The goal? To start generating power by 2027.
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More Than Just Electricity
But Mohmand Dam is about far more than hydropower. With a height of 213 meters, it will be the 5th highest concrete-faced rock-fill dam (CFRD) in the world.
Its reservoir will hold 1.29 million acre-feet (MAF) of water—enough to irrigate 18,233 acres of new farmland in Mohmand and Charsadda. It will also support irrigation for an existing command area of 160,000 acres, breathing life into fields served by the Lower Swat and Doaba canals.
A Shield Against Floods and Thirst
Flooding has played a role in haunting Peshawar, Charsadda, and Nowshera, destroying homes and livelihoods. Mohmand Dam will help tame the Swat River, protecting these vulnerable communities from devastating floods.
And in a province often parched for clean drinking water, it is highly expected to deliver 300 million gallons per day to Peshawar leading to the relieving of pressure on strained supplies.
Powering Pakistan’s Green Future
With 800 megawatts of installed capacity, the dam is likely to add 2.86 billion units of clean, affordable hydel electricity to the National Grid each year. It is energy without having need to burn coal or oil—it is an essential step toward a greener, more sustainable future for Pakistan.
For the thousands working on the dam, and the millions who will benefit, Mohmand isn’t just concrete and steel. It’s hope—carefully shaped and built to last.