'False and misleading': Govt denies cancelling 4,500MW power component of Diamer-Bhasha Dam

The government of Pakistan has firmly denied claims that it has cancelled the 4,500 MW power generation component of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam. The Ministry of Economic Affairs released a statement, asserting that such reports are "false and misleading." They emphasized that the Diamer-Bhasha Dam is still a national priority project, encompassing both water storage and hydropower generation capabilities.

The government reiterated its commitment to completing the dam, including its power facilities, to bolster Pakistan's water and energy security. This denial follows a report by Brief, which cited a leaked internal document from the Economic Affairs Division, stating that the government had cancelled the power generation aspect of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam.

The Power Division's response on social media platform X echoed the government's stance, reaffirming that the project remains a "committed project" in both current and future Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plans (IGCEP). Furthermore, the Power Division clarified that the new Independent Power Producer (IPP) business has permanently ceased operations in Pakistan following the establishment of a free electricity market by the current government.

They urged caution against spreading unverified information, stating, "We must verify facts before posting such content." The Diamer-Bhasha Dam is a colossal multi-purpose hydropower project situated on the Indus River, roughly 40 kilometers downstream of Chilas town, in the border region between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

It is engineered to be the tallest Roller-Compacted-Concrete (RCC) dam globally, reaching an impressive height of 272 meters. The project's completion was initially projected for 2029, but due dates have been adjusted, with the latest estimate placing completion at 2030.