Tarbela dam running dry

June 19, 2025 (MLN): Posing serious risks to electricity generation and irrigation supply,  water levels at Pakistan’s Tarbela Dam have plunged to alarming lows amid a prolonged dry spell. 

The reservoir is currently at 1,450.85 feet, just 48 feet above its dead level of 1,402 feet, and nearly 100 feet short of its full storage capacity of 1,550 feet. This is due to the sharp deficit in rainfall in the region.

Despite all 17 hydropower units at the dam being technically operational, output has dropped to only 1,413 megawatts, significantly below the installed capacity of 4,888 megawatts.

Data shared by authorities shows a water inflow of 177,400 cusecs, while outflow stands at 151,800 cusecs, a gap that indicated constrained power generation and tightly managed water discharge to support downstream requirements.

Officials at the Ministry of Energy and hydrology experts have raised concerns that without immediate improvement in weather conditions, water levels could decline further, triggering broader implications for agriculture, power supply, and water security.

The situation has amplified the urgency for coordinated water management and underscores the vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s energy mix, which heavily relies on seasonal hydropower flows.

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