Asia and Oceania

Knight Piesold wins OPIC contract for Casecnan Dam safety assessment

The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corp. (OPIC) has awarded a US$14,900 contract to Knight Piesold to assess potential dam safety issues at the 150-MW Casecnan Dam in the Philippines.
Knight Piesold wins OPIC contract for Casecnan Dam safety assessment

The U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corp. (OPIC) has awarded a US$14,900 contract to Knight Piesold to assess potential dam safety issues at the 150-MW Casecnan Dam in the Philippines.

OPIC solicited bids for the work in May, which includes the review of previous studies to determine their technical accuracy, examination of likely risks to downstream communities of the dam overtopping or failing, and assessing the adequacy of remediation projects to control flow. Knight Piesold is also to suggest better flood control, and recommend further studies or potential conditions to include in an insurance contract.

Casecnan Dam was completed in 2001 to divert water from the Casecnan and Taang rivers to Pantabangan Reservoir to increase water available for irrigation on the Philippine island of Luzon. The project includes two diversion dams, a 22-kilometer diversion tunnel and a 150-MW underground powerhouse. The powerhouse and tailrace are in Nueva Ecjia Province while the dams and most of the diversion tunnel are in Nueva Viscaya Province.

In 2011, two typhoons struck the project area causing extensive damage to the facility and overtopping the dam. Since 2008 annual studies have assessed dam stability, remediation measures and safety of those downstream.

For more dam safety news, visit here.