TIMES REPORT
PESHAWAR: WAPDA has successfully restored the damaged power generating unit of Gomal Zam Hydel Power Station and synchronized it with the National Grid after completing all commissioning tests and operational readiness requirements.
With the restoration of Unit No. 1, the hydel power station in South Waziristan has regained its original installed generation capacity of 17.4 megawatts. The development is expected to benefit people living in remote areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. For the past eight years, the power station had been operating at only half of its capacity, generating 8.7 megawatts.
Gomal Zam Hydel Power Station comprises two generating units of 8.7 megawatts each and has an annual power generation capacity of 90.9 million units. The facility is connected to the National Grid through the 132 KV South Waziristan-Tank transmission line.
Both generating units became non-operational in October 2016 due to a technical fault that rendered the reverse power protection relay inoperative. WAPDA restored Unit No. 2 in June 2018 using its own resources and technical expertise. However, the restoration of Unit No. 1 was delayed because of the extent of damage and prevailing law and order challenges in the area.
The rehabilitation project, awarded to a joint venture at a cost of Rs359.5 million, commenced on April 5, 2026, and was successfully completed on June 25, 2026, within 80 days.
Gomal Zam Hydel Power Station is part of the multi-purpose Gomal Zam Dam Project, which was completed in 2013. The project plays a significant role in irrigation, flood mitigation and affordable electricity generation. It has a gross water storage capacity of 1.14 million acre-feet and provides irrigation water for more than 191,000 acres of agricultural land, contributing significantly to socio-economic development and poverty alleviation in the region.
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