Senate Subcommittee Demands Accountability for Cost Overruns and Delays in WAPDA Hydropower Projects

ISLAMABAD: A sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Economic Affairs has raised significant concerns regarding the ongoing delays in WAPDA’s hydropower initiatives. The panel has directed relevant authorities to establish accountability and provide a comprehensive breakdown of the financial burden resulting from escalating project costs.

The session, presided over by Senator Syed Waqar Mehdi, included participation from Senators Haji Hidayatullah Khan and Rubina Khalid, alongside high-ranking officials from various federal and provincial departments.

The committee conducted a review of current progress, identifying the primary causes of delays, cost escalations, and fund utilization for WAPDA projects situated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh. Evaluations for projects located in Punjab and Balochistan were concluded during a prior session.

Representatives from the Ministry of Water Resources and WAPDA informed the committee that projects are funded through a combination of World Bank financing, local and foreign commercial loans, and WAPDA’s own equity. The officials cited several factors for the delays, including land acquisition hurdles between 2015 and 2019, the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020-21, security challenges from 2022 to 2024, and frequent revisions to project designs.

Senator Mehdi expressed profound concern over the protracted timelines, highlighting that despite multiple formal communications to the provincial government, certain projects have remained stalled for five years. This stagnation has resulted in substantial cost increases and a significant strain on the national exchequer. “Twelve years have elapsed since the project’s inception, yet its completion date remains uncertain,” the Senator remarked.

According to official reports, approximately 54 percent of the Mohmand Dam construction is complete. However, delays stemming from land acquisition and necessary design modifications to ensure dam safety have pushed the projected completion date to June 2028. The committee convener questioned the necessity of repeated design changes despite the involvement of professional consultants, noting, “Such modifications not only stall progress but also impose an additional financial weight on government resources.”

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