by Shafqat Ali

 

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (Gwadar Pro)—Four hydel projects worth USD$7.7 billion under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will resolve Pakistan’s energy crises, the CPEC Authority said.

 

The CPEC Authority said that the projects will be completed within the next six years, contributing 3428 Megawatts of clean and cheap energy to the national grid.

 

The projects would help generate thousands of new jobs besides providing affordable clean electricity to the consumers, said a CPEC Authority spokesperson on Monday afternoon.

 

He said in order to meet the power demand and produce atmosphere friendly and green energy, numerous hydel power projects with installed capacity of 3,428 MW were being completed in the second phase.

 

“Nine coal-based energy projects completed in the first phase are contributing 5,320 MW to the national grid largely easing the load shedding problem in the country,” he added.

 

The CPEC Authority spokesperson said that the 720 MW Karot Hydro Power Project was in the final stages and likely to be completed within the current year at a cost of USD$700 million.

 

The project would provide clean energy to 5 million people and would create 4500 jobs.

 

Similarly, another CPEC-Sukki-Kenari Hydro Power Project would also start contributing 884 MW of clean electricity to the national grid by next year and the total cost of this project is USD$2 billion.

 

Work on the USD$1.5 billion Azad Pattan Hydro Power Project is underway and this 700 MW power project will be completed in 2026.

 

The 1124 MW Kohala Hydro Power Project would be completed by 2027 at an estimated cost of USD$2.5 billion, he said, adding that CPEC is helping Pakistan in overcoming the power shortage and reducing reliance on imported fuel.

 

Located in Azad Jamuu and Kashmir, the Kohala Hydro Power Project would create some 5000 job. The spokesperson added that the foreign investment of USD$2.4 billion would be the highest in the country by the Independent Power Producers (IPPs).