Islamabad, 29 February 2024 (TDI): The China and Pakistan partnership advances the Suki Kinari Hydropower project as it achieves a major milestone with the commencement of the reservoir filling successfully on Wednesday.
Located in the Mansehra district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the 884-megawatt hydropower station’s overall construction progress has exceeded 98 percent.
The chairman and general manager of the project, He Xiongfei, stated that the project being completed under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will significantly optimize Pakistan’s energy structure. This will, in turn, boost the country’s economic and social development.
【中企投資建設巴基斯坦蘇吉吉納里水電站順利啟動蓄水】28日，中國企業投資建設的巴基斯坦蘇吉吉納里水電站順利啟動蓄水工作，為接下來的項目發電工作打下堅實基礎。該水電站是“一帶一路”倡議先行的“中巴經濟走廊”首批清單項目，建成後年發電量可達32.12億千瓦時，能在一定程度上緩解該國用電壓力。 pic.twitter.com/dlwA6ZbHgV
— 人民日報 People’s Daily (@PDChinese) February 29, 2024
Highlights of Suki Kinari Hydropower project
Invested primarily by China Gezhouba Group Overseas Investment Company, a subsidiary of China Energy Engineering Corporation (CEEC), the momentous event of reservoir filling marked a significant milestone in the Suki Kinari Hydropower project.
In addition to this, stakeholders, including SK Project Company owners, engineers, and personnel, witnessed this achievement.
The project features an asphalt concrete core-wall rock-fill dam with impressive dimensions. It stands as a testament to the robust China-Pakistan partnership.
Furthermore, with a crest elevation of 2,239.5 meters and a maximum height of 54.5 meters, the project highlights the collaborative efforts between the two nations.
Moreover, the dam capping target for May 2023 was achieved under the coordination of SK Project Company. Subsequent efforts focused on commissioning Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) work and reservoir area slope support. This showcased the effectiveness of the China-Pakistan partnership.
Additionally, the Suki Kinari Hydropower project, in the first CPEC and Belt and Road batch, draws attention. This partnership underscores a commitment to mutual development and cooperation.
Also Read: CPEC’s Impact on bilateral relations and regional dynamics
The completed Suki Kinari project, CEEC’s largest overseas investment, will boost Pakistan’s power supply. Once it is functional, the CPEC project will annually generate some 3.21 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity.
Moving forward, SK Project Company remains dedicated to implementing CEEC’s vision of “building a world-class enterprise.”
Through continued collaboration and partnership, the project aims to achieve milestones such as water commissioning and project COD, further solidifying the China-Pakistan partnership in advancing sustainable energy solutions.
