Major milestone for Pakistan’s flagship Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project, April 2025 marked the successful completion of the powerhouse main slope excavation and associated support works. This critical achievement now paves the way for the commencement of full-scale construction of the concrete powerhouse structure, a core component of the project. Undertaken under challenging geological conditions, the excavation phase posed numerous technical difficulties that demanded high-intensity coordination between design and construction teams.

According to Gwadar Pro, initially designed to involve the removal of 832,000 cubic meters of rock, the excavation volume more than doubled—reaching a total of 1.68 million cubic meters—due to unforeseen subsurface conditions and the need for dynamic design adjustments. The excavated slope, which rises 150 meters in vertical height, required substantial reinforcement to guarantee long-term structural integrity.

The original plan called for the installation of approximately 800 meters of tendon anchors; however, in response to ground realities, over 76,000 meters of anchors were ultimately installed. China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC), a subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC) operating in Pakistan, led the execution of the works. Leveraging a “design, optimization, and construction” collaborative mechanism, CGGC adapted engineering and construction techniques throughout the process.

This approach ensured that all works were carried out safely, efficiently, and in line with the highest international quality standards. The completion of the powerhouse slope excavation lays a solid foundation for the next phase of construction, bringing Pakistan one step closer to realizing the full potential of the Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project.

Mohmand Dam Hydropower project is a multi-purpose concrete faced rockfill dam being constructed on Swat river located at a distance of about 48km from Peshawar and 5km upstream of Munda headworks in Mohmand district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which in addition to generate 1300 MW electricity, will enhance Pakistan’s water storage capacity by 1,293-million-acre feet (MAF), provide food security buffer, provide 13.32 cubic of clean drinking water to the residents of Peshawar city and create more than 6,000 direct new employment opportunities for the local people.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China