Dasu HPP Achieves Major Milestone as Shori-1 Tunnel Excavation Begins

Project officials at the launch of tunneling work on the Shori-1 Tunnel. [Photo/Energy China]

DASU, Jan. 15 (Gwadar Pro) - The Dasu Hydropower Project (Dasu HPP) has achieved a major milestone with the successful commencement of tunneling work on the Shori-1 Tunnel under the Dasu KKH-02 Realignment Road Project. Energy China Pakistan on January 14 announced that the milestone was marked by the first controlled blast carried out on December 29, 2025, formally initiating excavation of the approximately 530-meter-long tunnel.

The company said the work is being carried out under challenging geological conditions, with strict safety measures and advanced engineering techniques being applied to ensure steady progress.

The 4,320-megawatt Dasu Hydropower Project, currently under construction, is the largest hydropower project in Pakistan in terms of annual energy generation. Upon completion, Stage-I is expected to contribute about 12 billion units of electricity annually, while Stage-II will add another 9 billion units to the national grid, taking total annual generation to 21 billion units of indigenous, green, clean, and affordable electricity.

WAPDA’s Monitoring and Surveillance (M&S) Team at Dasu HPP site. [Photo/WAPDA]