LAHORE: Chairman Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Saeed has reviewed progress on the Mangla Refurbishment Project during a visit to the Mangla Hydel Power Station, expressing satisfaction over the steady pace of work.
Officials briefed the chairman that four generating units have already been refurbished and are now operating at enhanced capacity. Two more units are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, while the entire project is targeted for completion by 2030.
During the visit, the chairman inspected the control room, turbine hall — where refurbishment activities are underway — and the intake structure to assess on-ground progress. Senior Wapda officials, consultants and contractors were also present.
Capacity and Generation to Increase
The Mangla Refurbishment Project, approved at a cost of Rs52.224 billion, aims to raise the plant’s installed capacity from 1,000MW to 1,310MW upon completion. Annual electricity generation is projected to increase from 5 billion units to 6.632 billion units, significantly enhancing clean energy supply to the national grid.
The project is being implemented without shutting down the entire power station. Instead, refurbishment has been divided into multiple packages, with one tunnel — comprising two generating units — closed at a time to minimise energy losses.
International Financial Support
Financial assistance for the project includes a $170 million grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and a €90 million loan from Agence Française de Développement (AFD), while the remaining funds are being arranged by Wapda through internal resources and borrowings.
Chairman Saeed emphasised that the refurbishment is critical for strengthening Pakistan’s energy security by reducing reliance on expensive and environmentally harmful thermal power generation.
The initiative is part of Wapda’s broader strategy to maximise hydropower potential by not only launching new projects but also rehabilitating and upgrading existing facilities. The Mangla Hydel Power Station currently comprises 10 generating units, each with a capacity of 100MW.
