Mansehra, 22 December 2021 (TDI): Earlier, the Suki Kinari Hydropower Project achieved the breakthrough from A6b to A7a in Headrace Tunnel. Suki Kinari Hydropower Project is a clean energy project and is part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The official Twitter handle of the Embassy of China in Islamabad shared the news commending the perseverant efforts of the Chinese and Pakistani staff even amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The achievement of the breakthrough from A6b to A7a in the Headrace Tunnel is a major milestone of the project.

A Headrace tunnel in a Hydropower Project takes water from linked channels and transfers it to the forebay or straight to the penstock provided with the surge shaft depending on the project and site prerequisites periodically known as power tunnels.

An artificial reservoir of water in front of a larger body of water is called a forebay. It can be either natural or man-made. Whereas the function of a surge shaft is to deal with the sudden surge. The sudden deluge is known as the hammer pressure that is generated because of rapid changes in the flow of water through the tunnels.

Long channels or pipes that bring water down from the hydroelectric reservoir to the turbines inside the actual power station are called Penstocks. They are generally made of steel. Water under high pressure flows through the penstock.

Suki Kinari Hydropower Project

The Suki Kinari Hydropower Project is located in Mansehra District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It is made on the Kunhar River. It is estimated that the project will help to generate approximately 884 MW with 4 sets of turbines.

The project is made by China Gezhouba Group Company Limited (CGGC). CGCC is a Chinese engineering and construction company which is based out of Wuhan.

The estimated elevation of the project is between 1300m and 2400m. It consists of a dam, spillway, intake, a headrace tunnel, surge branch, pressing piping, a powerhouse, as well as a tailrace tunnel.

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