‘CPEC’s Suki Kinari project progressing fast’

ISLAMABAD:

The Pakistan Managing Director of China Energy International Group, Wang Huihua, has announced that the construction of the 884-megawatt Suki Kinari (SK) Hydropower Project is progressing rapidly under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiatives.

The managing director highlighted the significant impact of the run-of-the-Kunhar-river hydropower project. He stated that the SK hydropower project is expected to create over 4,250 employment opportunities and contribute substantial electricity to the national grid. Huihua expressed confidence that the SK hydropower project would reach completion by the end of the current year or by mid-2024, with its powerhouse and reservoir section in the final phases of construction.

However, he noted that the 24-kilometer-long Hades Tunnel presents the most challenging aspect of the project due to difficult terrain, harsh winter weather conditions, and water drainage issues. To overcome these challenges, highly skilled manpower and state-of-the-art machinery have been deployed at the tunnel sites, with excavation and lining work underway both upstream and downstream.

The SK hydropower project is expected to add approximately three billion units of affordable electricity to the national grid annually. Huihua acknowledged that the project faced delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he emphasised that construction work is now proceeding day and night to expedite progress.

“The completion of this hydropower plant will play an important role in the industrial development and economic recovery of Pakistan,” Huihua commented.

The SK Hydropower Project is a crucial component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, representing the strong partnership between the two countries in advancing infrastructure and energy development in Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 27^th2023.

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