Work to refurbish the Mangla hydroelectric power station in Pakistan is progressing, with four generating units already upgraded and operating at increased capacity, according to the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA).
During a visit to the site in February 2026, WAPDA chairman Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed (Retd) was briefed that two additional units are expected to return to service by the end of 2026. The overall refurbishment programme is scheduled for completion in 2030.
The chairman toured the plant’s control room, turbine hall and intake structure to review ongoing works. WAPDA officials, project consultants and contractors were present during the visit.
The Mangla Refurbishment Project has an approved cost of Rs52.224 =bn (about US$187m). Financing includes a US$170m grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and a €90m loan from Agence Française de Développement (AFD), with the remainder funded by WAPDA through internal resources and loans.
Refurbishment is being carried out in stages so that the entire power station does not have to shut down. Works are undertaken by closing one tunnel – equivalent to two generating units – at a time to minimise generation losses.
When completed, the project will increase Mangla’s installed capacity from 1,000MW to 1,310MW. Annual electricity production is expected to rise from about 5 billion kWh to 6.632 billion kWh.
Mangla hydroelectric power station currently has ten generating units rated at 100MW each. The first four units were installed in 1967, followed by units five and six in 1974, units seven and eight in 1981, and units nine and ten in 1994.
WAPDA says the refurbishment programme forms part of a broader strategy to expand hydropower generation in Pakistan through both new projects and upgrades to existing facilities, with the aim of increasing the share of hydropower in the national grid.
