# Mohmand Dam cost more than doubles to Rs 666 billion; completion slips years past 2025

Source: Searchable (https://searchable.pk/news/economy/mohmand-dam-cost-more-than-doubles-to-rs-666-billion-completion-slips-years-past)
Type: News article
Author: Searchable Editorial
Published: 24 Oct 2026
Updated: 24 Oct 2026
Retrieved: 25 Oct 2026

> WAPDA wants Rs 356 billion more for the dam on the Swat River. Half the increase comes from the rupee's fall, and the Planning Commission wants a third-party audit.

**Mohmand Dam will now cost Rs 666 billion**, more than double the Rs 310 billion approved in April 2018, according to a revised estimate that the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) put before the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) this week, [ProPakistani reported](https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/24/mohmand-dam-will-now-cost-rs-666-billion/) on Saturday. The CDWP ran out of time and took no decision. The original target for completion was September 2025.

## The numbers

| | Approved 2018 | Proposed 2026 | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whole project | Rs 310 billion | Rs 666 billion | Rs 356 billion (115%) |
| Dam construction | Rs 114 billion | Rs 267 billion | Rs 153 billion (134%) |
| Power generation | Rs 195 billion | Rs 399 billion | Rs 204 billion (105%) |

(The 2018 component figures are worked back from the increases WAPDA reported.)

By last month **Rs 275 billion had been spent and construction was about 57% complete**. The dam is being built by China's Gezhouba Group in a joint venture with Pakistan's Descon Engineering.

## Why the cost rose

WAPDA told the Planning Commission four things drove the overrun:

1. **The rupee.** About 51% of the increase comes from the rupee's fall against the dollar, because part of the contract is paid in foreign currency. In April 2018 a dollar cost roughly Rs 115; today it costs about Rs 277 on our [dollar rate page](/data/usd-pkr).
2. **Design changes** made after the original approval.
3. **The 2022 floods**, when the Swat River damaged the tunnels built to divert water around the site and stopped work for a long time.
4. **Security problems** in the area.

The Planning Commission has called the delays and overruns concerning. It has asked WAPDA for the payment details of every dollar contract, saying that simply converting old contracts at today's exchange rate is not enough, and has recommended a **third-party audit** of the money spent and the physical work done, plus a revised financing plan.

## What happens next

A revised cost of this size needs the CDWP's clearance first and then final approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). Once finished, Mohmand Dam is meant to add **1.29 million acre-feet** of water storage on the Swat River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with hydropower for the national grid.

For households, the cost of large power projects ends up in the tariff. Check what you pay per unit now with our [electricity bill calculator](/tools/utilities/electricity-bill-calculator).

## Frequently asked questions

**How much will Mohmand Dam cost now?**

WAPDA has proposed a revised cost of Rs 666 billion, up from the Rs 310 billion approved in April 2018, an increase of Rs 356 billion or about 115%, ProPakistani reported on 24 October 2026.

**How much of Mohmand Dam is complete?**

About 57% of construction was complete and Rs 275 billion had been spent by September 2026, according to the project documents reported by ProPakistani.

## Sources

- Mohmand Dam Will Now Cost Rs. 666 Billion (ProPakistani): https://propakistani.pk/2026/10/24/mohmand-dam-will-now-cost-rs-666-billion/

How to cite: "Mohmand Dam cost more than doubles to Rs 666 billion; completion slips years past 2025", Searchable, 24 Oct 2026, https://searchable.pk/news/economy/mohmand-dam-cost-more-than-doubles-to-rs-666-billion-completion-slips-years-past