Diamer Basha Dam

Name of Project : Diamer Basha Dam Project (DBDP)
Location / Country : Kohistan (KP) & Diamer (Gilgit Baltistan) / Pakistan
Client : WAPDA
Funded by : Ministry of Water & Power, Govt. of Pakistan
Commencement : 2020
Completion : 2029

Diamer Basha Dam site is located on the Indus river, some 40 Km downstream of the town of Chilas, about 315 Km upstream of Tarbela dam and about 440 Km from Islamabad, almost on the border between KP and Gilgit Baltistan provinces. The Dam site is approachable through Karakoram Highway (KKH), a two lane, all weather, paved road traversing through rolling to mountainous terrain – which runs from Thakot to Dasu almost parallel to Indus river on its right bank and then on left bank till Raikot bridge.

The project consists of the following main components:

• RCC Gravity dam (272 m high) across the Indus river, with a spillway within the dam body.
• 5 reservoir flushing outlets and 2 low level outlets in the dam body.
• 2 underground powerhouses (2 x 2,250 MW), one on each bank.
• 4 power water tunnels (2 on each bank) for the powerhouses.
• 2 flushing tunnels, one each the left and right bank.
• A permanent bridge across the Indus river.
• 21 MW Tangir Hydropower Project.

The project aims to accrue the following benefits:

• Clean renewable energy (18,100 GWh annually).
• Additional electricity of about 2,520 GWh at existing projects (Tarbela, Ghazi Barotha, Jinnah & Chashma).
• Additional electricity of about 7,500 GWh at future projects (Dasu, Patan & Thakot).
• Reservoir live storage (6.4 MAF) to augment the irrigation releases from Tarbela.
• Flood mitigation and help in Food Security.
• Add 35 years to the life of Tarbela reservoir by reducing sediments.