What is the progress made in the energy sector under the CPEC?
Answer: Energy is the source of power for economic development and a key factor in the sustainable development of the Pakistan economy. Efforts are required to speed up the construction of energy projects so as to help Pakistan relieve energy shortage and achieve sustainable development.
Under the CPEC framework, both sides have identified 16 prioritized projects with total capacity of 10,400MW as well as 8 actively promoted projects. As the end of 2016, Zonergy 300MW Solar Park in Bahawalpur Punjab has been completed, combined to the grid, and 50MW Dawood Wind Farm is completed and awaiting connection test. Construction is underway for 8 projects, namely , Sachal 50MW Wind Farm, Port Qasim 2×660MW Coal-fired Power Plant, Sahiwal 2×660MW Coal-fired Power Plant, 660MW HUBCO Coal Power Plant, 720MW Karot Hydropower Station, 100MW Jhimpir UEP Wind Farm, China Three Gorges Second Wind Power Project and 2×330MW Mine Mouth Coal Fired Power Plant at Thar Block II, Sindh with its matching mining project. Groundbreaking for 3 projects is expected to be achieved very soon, namely 873MW Suki Kinari Hydropower Station, Matiari (Port Qasim) to Lahore Transmission Line, and 2×660MW Mine Mouth Coal Fired Power Plant at Thar Block I, Sindh with its matching mining project.
Some other projects are being actively promoted, such as 1100MW Kohala Hydro-Power Project, Gwadar Coal-fired Power Plant and Matiari (Port Qasim) to Faisalabad Transmission Line.
