ISLAMABAD (AP) — The World Bank said Tuesday it has approved $1 billion for the construction of Pakistan’s largest Dasu hydropower project, which is being built in the country’s northwest with help from China.
The loan would be used to expand electricity supplies from hydropower and improve access for local communities, the bank said in a statement.
“Pakistan’s energy sector faces multiple challenges in achieving affordable, reliable and sustainable energy,” said Najy Benhassine, World Bank Director for Pakistan. The Dasu hydropower project site is a game changer for Pakistan’s energy sector, he said.
The bank said the project will help ‘green’ the energy sector and reduce electricity costs. The dam is being built in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, bordering Afghanistan, and will have an installed capacity of 4,320 to 5,400 megawatts once completed. .
Thousands of Chinese have worked on the Dasu Dam and other projects related to it China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Some have been attacked in recent years by militants who accuse them of plundering mineral resources.
