'First round of CPEC projects to be completed by 2018'

Chinese official reiterates Pakistan’s energy shortage will end soon

BEIJING: China reaffirmed that most of the early harvest energy projects being built under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework would be completed in 2018, easing electricity shortage in Pakistan.

Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying made these remarks while answering a question regarding the inauguration of the first unit of Sahiwal Coal Power Plant during her regular press briefing.



“It is estimated that most power projects will be completed preceding the year 2019 easing the shortage of energy in Pakistan which will benefit the people,” she added.

With a total capacity of 1,320 megawatts (MW), the project comprises two coal-based power plants.

This is one of the early harvest projects of CPEC- a flagship project of the One Belt,  One Road initiative.

“The power plant, that will be the biggest electricity power station in the area generating over 90 billion kilowatts of power, is an important project under the CPEC framework,” she said.

The spokesperson said at present 17 priority energy projects were being completed under CPEC. She added that the Sahiwal Coal Power Project is an example of intensive building and completion period of the projects under the CPEC framework.

Hua Chunying expressed confidence that shortage of power and energy in Pakistan will gradually reduce with the Pak-China projects under this framework.

Terming it a game changer for the people along the CPEC route, she said, “We have also seen the benefits brought by the CPEC projects and the Belt and Road Initiative.”

She hoped to work with people of Pakistan in a spirit of shared benefits and joint extensive consultations and contributions to promote tangible benefits to the people.

The project has been completed in a record period, six months ahead of the prescribed schedule, as the prime minister had launched work on the project on May 30, 2014.



Constructed by a joint consortium of China’s state-owned Huaneng Shandong and the Shandong Ruyi Science and Technology Group, the project had already been connected to the national grid since May 12, this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 1^st, 2017.

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