Tarbela Dam, Pakistan’s largest hydroelectric power project has turned 50 in 2024.
According to a Press release from WAPDA. In 1974 after completion of the civil works of Tarbela Dam the filling of water in the reservoir commenced in the third quarter of the year. Tarbela is the biggest electricity generation facility in Pakistan with installed capacity of 4888 MW – 51.6 % of the total hydel capacity of WAPDA. The installed capacity at Tarbela will further increase to 6418 MW after completion of the under-construction Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project.
Tarbela Dam Project consists of a 9,000 feet (2,743 meters) long and 470 feet (143 meters) high embankment across the entire width of the river. It has two spillways with cumulative discharge capacity of 1,500,000 cusecs (42,476 cumecs). Two auxiliary embankment dams close the low level ridges in the left bank valley. A group of 4 tunnels, each 0.8 Km long through the right abutment, were constructed for irrigation releases and power generation.
Tarbela reservoir which spans over an area of 259 square Km, had initially a live storage of 9.68 MAF. However, it has reduced to 5.77 MAF due to natural phenomenon of sedimentation during the last 50 years.
