1st CPEC major energy project inaugurated to benefit 10 mln locals

SAHIWAL, Pakistan, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The first major energy project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was inaugurated on Monday in Sahiwal in Pakistan's eastern province of Punjab.

With its two 660-megawatt units, the Sahiwal coal-fired power plant is expected to generate 9 billion kwh of electricity annually to address about one forth of Pakistan's current power deficit, or electricity demand of 10 million locals, according to an official from the China Huaneng Group, a major shareholder of the Sahiwal power plant.

Nur Bekri, director of China's National Energy Administration, said at the inaugurating ceremony that the completion of the Sahiwal power plant is another milestone of China-Pakistan friendship and the plant will continuously inject driving power to Pakistan's economic development.

He said that the Chinese energy authority will continue to strengthen bilateral pragmatic cooperation with Pakistan in terms of energy so as to tangibly push forward the construction of CPEC to benefit peoples both from China and Pakistan. The power plant was built within a 22-month period, the fastest in Pakistan.

The power plant equips two high efficient generation units with a series of advanced de-pollution measures.

For his part, Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif said that the Sahiwal power plant is the first step to realize the blueprint of CPEC and it will bring tremendous improvement to the Pakistani economy.

Punjab Provincial Energy Secretary Asad Gillani told Xinhua that with the connection to the national grid, electricity generated from Sahiwal will be distributed to all Pakistan and help shorten periods of power cut in the country.