ISLAMABAD
Six energy projects of around $ 6 billion under CPEC will add 2733 MW to national grid.
Deputy Officer Director of Investment Department – one of the China’s three gorges international corporation – Sheng Zhendong in an interview to Chinese media said that six energy projects under CPEC would be helpful for Pakistan to overcome its energy crisis.
While describing the six energy projects he said these include 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.
He said the company not only involves itself in project development, but also participates in the Indus River Basin Planning, scientific research design, cascade development to invest and construction, operation and management, and becoming a provider of whole industry chain solution for clean energy in Pakistan.
In 2015, CTG Karot Hydrpower 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) has become the shareholder of China’s 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 prioritised 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, including 4500MW Diamer Basha Hydropower Station, 2300MW Pattan Hydropower Station and 4000MW Thakot Hydropower Project, with a total installed capacity of 10.8 GW.
