The World Bank has approved $1 billion for the construction of the Das hydroelectric project, the country’s largest, which is being built with Chinese assistance in northwest Pakistan.
ISLAMABAD — The World Bank said Tuesday it has approved $1 billion for the construction of the Das hydroelectric project, the country’s largest, being built in northwest Pakistan with Chinese assistance.
The bank said in a statement that the loan will be used to expand hydroelectric electricity supply and improve access for local communities.
“Pakistan’s energy sector faces many challenges in delivering affordable, reliable and sustainable energy,” said Naji Benhassine, World Bank Country Director for Pakistan. The Das Hydropower Project site marks a milestone for Pakistan’s energy sector, he said.
The bank said the project would help “green the energy sector” and lower electricity costs. The dam is being built in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan, and will have a generating capacity of 4,320-5,400 megawatts when completed.
Thousands of Chinese nationals work on Das Dam and other projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and some have come under attack in recent years from militants accused of plundering Pakistan’s mineral resources.
