Beijing: China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) is actively engaged to install its six power projects in Pakistan, having total capacity of 2,733MW, said Sheng Zhendong, a Corporation’s senior official.
Total investment will be $6b. These projects are 720MW Karot hydropower project, 1124MW Kohala Hydropower project, 49.5MW first wind power project, 99MW second wind project, 640MW Mahl Hydropower project and 100MW first solar PV project, of which Karot Hydropower Project is in the list of priority project under CPEC, the Kohala Hydropower Project and the Second Wind Power Project are included in the project list to be actively promoted.
The Company not just involves in project development, but also participates in the Indus River Basin Planning, scientific research design, cascade development to invest and construction, operation and management, becoming a provider of whole industry chain solution for clean energy in Pakistan, the official said in an interview with an INP’s special correspondent Zameer Asadi.
According to the official, In 2015, CTG Karot Hydropower station project (720 MW) was written into Sino-Pakistan joint declaration, which is the first ever to both the CTG and Chinese hydro power industry and became the first project invested by Silk Road Fund (SRF).
The SRF established by China and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have become the shareholder of China three gorges South Asia Investment Limited (CSAIL) so as to jointly promote clean energy projects in Pakistan.
Located on the Pakistani Jhelum River east of Islamabad, the Karot Hydropower station project is one of prioritized energy project of CPEC.
The construction of the station was started at the end of 2015 and will be put into operation in 2020. The scheme, being developed on a build-own-operate-transfer basis, will have a concession period of about 35 years, comprising five years of construction and 30 years of operation. The plant is expected to have capacity to produce 3.2 billion KWH of clean, reliable and affordable electricity annually.
In the long-term planning, the company will consider investing in several hydro projects in the upstream of the Indus River upstream, including 4500MW Diamer-Basha Hydropower Station, 2300MW Pattan Hydropower Station and 4000MW Thakot Hydropower Project, with a total installed capacity of 10.8 GW.
The CTG is helping Pakistan to address energy shortage through the decade development of the Jhelum River and Indus River. By conducting river planning optimization for Pakistan, CTG provides a strong energy support for the follow-up cooperation projects of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
The company has four strengths including brand, technology, finance and the ability to integrate the hydro industry chain. With significant development opportunities ahead, we are thinking about how to take a good advantage of our strengths, and the national Strategy of Belt and Road to develop into a world-class and Pakistan’s largest clean energy group.
