In a significant development for Pakistan’s energy sector, the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has successfully restored the Gomal Zam Hydropower Station to its full operational capacity of 17.4 megawatts (MW). After an eight-year period of partial operation, the station’s generating units have been synchronized with the national grid.
The facility’s output had been limited since October 2016, when a major technical failure forced both generating units to cease operations. While one unit was repaired and returned to service in June 2018, the second unit remained offline due to the complexity of the technical damage, leaving the station to operate at only 8.7 MW for nearly a decade.
Wapda announced on Thursday that the restoration of the second unit marks a major milestone. With both units now fully functional, the station is providing an increased supply of affordable, eco-friendly hydropower to the national grid, specifically bolstering the electricity supply for the Dera Ismail Khan Division and other southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The units were reintegrated into the national grid following the successful completion of all necessary technical, operational, and safety protocols to ensure long-term reliability. To facilitate this, Wapda initiated a Rs359.5 million rehabilitation project in April 2026. The project was completed ahead of schedule in just 80 days, with the repaired unit being officially recommissioned on June 25, 2026.
Connected to the national grid via the 132-kilovolt South Waziristan Lower-Tank transmission line, the Gomal Zam Hydropower Station is capable of generating approximately 90.9 million units of clean electricity annually. This restoration is expected to stabilize the power supply in South Waziristan, Tank, and Dera Ismail Khan, while simultaneously increasing the share of renewable energy in Pakistan’s energy mix and reducing reliance on expensive imported fuels.
The Gomal Zam Dam is a vital multi-purpose water resource project. Although construction began in 2002, the project faced various delays stemming from security concerns, financial hurdles, and administrative challenges. The primary dam structure was completed in 2013, and the hydropower components became operational in 2017.
Beyond electricity, the dam holds a gross water storage capacity of approximately 1.14 million acre-feet, providing essential irrigation to roughly 191,000 acres of farmland. Standing 133 meters high, the project is also critical for flood mitigation and regional water conservation. Located in the Kar Kanra area of Wana tehsil in Lower South Waziristan on the eastern bank of the Gomal River, the project sits on land traditionally held by the Zali Khel clan of the Ahmadzai Wazir tribe.
Energy experts have hailed the return to full capacity as a landmark achievement for the nation’s renewable energy infrastructure. They noted that the move will strengthen the national grid, provide more accessible clean energy, and offer lasting economic and environmental advantages to the communities in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
