Remarkable achievements in energy development of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor in the past decade

The energy cooperation in the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor has yielded fruitful results and has brought extensive benefits to the Pakistani people.
Backed by the lofty Karakoram, there is a flat lake between the high gorges, where the gurgling water turns into clean and cheap electricity; Facing the blue Arabian Sea, the third generation nuclear power unit "Hualong One" independently developed by China runs smoothly, providing an important guarantee for Pakistan's energy security; In the vast desert and Gobi region, DC transmission lines run through and integrate the power grid of northern and southern Pakistan. Wind and solar power generation systems operate in a tailored manner to promote the sustainable development of Pakistan's energy structure
In 2013, China proposed to jointly build the "the Belt and Road" initiative. As a country along the Belt and Road, Pakistan actively responded to China's initiative and put forward the preliminary idea of building the "China–Pakistan Economic Corridor".   During the visit, the leaders of the two countries agreed to make energy cooperation a key area of the construction of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Ten years of construction has been in full swing. The energy infrastructure of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor has solved the development problems caused by long-term power shortage for Pakistan. "Energy cooperation in the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor has achieved fruitful results, and has brought extensive benefits to the Pakistani people." Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif of Prime Minister of Pakistan said that stable energy supply will strongly promote high-quality development in the new stage of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, lay a good foundation for Economy of Pakistan's economic and social development, and provide key support for Pakistan's industrialization and modernization.
Gwadar Port is ready

The sea breeze blew and the whistle sounded. In the southwest border of Pakistan, Gwadar Port is ushering in new opportunities for development. Gwadar is located at the junction of the Middle East, Central Asia and South Asia, at the mouth of the Persian Gulf and the mouth of the Strait of Hormuz, close to important international energy routes, and also the shortest straight-line outlet for landlocked resource countries such as Central Asia. In order to promote the effective use of Gwadar's unique geographical advantages, the Chinese government funded the construction of Gwadar Port, and undertook the port development and operation in 2013, focusing on the long-term development and construction of Gwadar Port.

"Gwadar Port has realized the transformation of port logistics channels in the region from scratch, laying the foundation and preparing for possible opportunities for regional development," said Yu Bo, chairman of China Overseas Port Holdings Co., Ltd. With the improvement of port facilities, the number of ships and types of business that call at Gwadar Port are growing from bulk cargo business of agricultural products to container business of fertilizer, livelihood materials, etc. In 2020, Gwadar Port will build a new liquefied petroleum gas terminal and complete the import of liquefied petroleum gas for the first time.
In July 2021, in order to meet the development needs of Gwadar Port, the construction of the north area of Gwadar Free Zone will be started. People's livelihood enterprises, such as animal vaccine filling, lubricant blending and fertilizer production, and agricultural technology enterprises, such as Vegetable farming and tropical and dry crop breeding, also entered and started construction simultaneously. With the implementation of a series of industrial projects, Gwadar has entered a new stage of development. In order to meet the needs of construction personnel, the Ministry of Commerce of China has built a vocational training school in Gwadar, which will be completed in October 2021. It will focus on short-term professional training for local labor force, so that they can find suitable job opportunities as soon as possible by virtue of their skills.
With the continuous construction and development of Gwadar Port, the surrounding transportation infrastructure is gradually connected. In June 2022, China's assistance to Pakistan Gwadar East Bay Expressway was officially opened. This road starts from Gwadar Port in the south and ends at the No. 10 National Highway in Economy of Pakistan. It opens the transportation channel between Gwadar Port and Karachi, an important city in the south of Pakistan, and strengthens the connection between Gwadar Port and the economic hinterland of Pakistan.
In November 2022, the concrete pavement of the runway of Gwadar New International Airport will be fully completed, which is expected to be completed in September 2023. After the completion of the new airport, it will form a modern three-dimensional transportation network of sea, land and air together with Gwadar Port, Dongwan Expressway, and improve Pakistan's comprehensive transportation and airport network.
In April 2023, Pakistan and Iran will resume Border trade, and the two sides will sign an agreement that Iraq will provide power to Gwadar Port. The construction of natural gas pipelines between the two countries has also been put on the agenda. According to the plan, the pipeline is expected to be completed in 2024, providing natural gas to southern Pakistan through Gwadar Port, and Gwadar Port will gradually become a regional natural gas transportation and allocation hub.
"There are new developments and changes in Gwadar every day, and a new Gwadar with international connectivity is coming." Mujib Kambrani, chairman of Gwadar Development Bureau, said that the busy port and constantly improving infrastructure have brought new opportunities to Gwadar Port. As an important hub of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, Gwadar is a thriving hot spot. Taking advantage of the east wind of corridor construction, the local government is also focusing on developing and constructing urban centers.
The national standard for hydropower is widely recognized
Four units are operating at full power, with a total installed capacity of 720000 kilowatts and an annual power generation of 3.2 billion kilowatts. We have lit up millions of households, sent electricity to industrial parks, and made important contributions to sustainable development in Pakistan. At the public opening day event for the first anniversary of the comprehensive commercial operation of the hydropower station, Moyaz Awan, the corporate social responsibility project manager of Karot Hydropower Station, proudly introduced this hydropower station to everyone.
Pakistan has always faced energy shortages. Although the local area has abundant hydropower resources, the steep mountains and complex natural environment in the northern region have led to slow progress in infrastructure development. In recent years, with the deepening of innovative cooperation between China and Pakistan in the field of clean energy, this situation is constantly improving. According to Li Jie, director of the General Department of the Karot Project of Three Gorges Corporation, Karot Hydropower Station is located on the bank of the Jilam River, 55 kilometers away from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. It is invested and constructed by China Three Gorges Corporation. It is the first large-scale hydropower investment and construction project under the "the Belt and Road" initiative and the "first order" invested by the the Silk Road Fund after its establishment.
The rich construction experience and technological innovation strength of the Chinese team ensure the high standard construction of the Karot Hydropower Station, "said Wang Minsheng, the head of China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Co., Ltd. Pakistan has long used international technical specifications led by Western standards. With Pakistan's partners' in-depth understanding of the technical advantages of Chinese enterprises, Pakistan has fully recognized and trusted Sinohydro's technical capabilities and development level. Karot Hydropower Station has also become the first hydropower investment project in Pakistan that fully uses Chinese technology and Chinese standards.
Karot Hydropower Station also vigorously advocates localized management, and more than half of the project construction team are local employees in Pakistan. Through vocational and technical training and other means, the quality and skills of local employees have been improved, and a group of technological innovation talents in the construction and management of hydropower stations have grown. In addition, the project also set up the "Three Gorges Scholarship" to select local students with outstanding achievements, subsidize them to accept the 2+2 joint training of University of the Punjab and Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, and then return to the hydropower station after graduation through selection and examination.
"Karot Hydropower Station has brought clean energy and sustainable development opportunities to Senate of Pakistan." Mushahid Hussain, chairman of the National Defense Committee of the Senate of Pakistan, who led the delegation to visit, said that since the first anniversary of Karot Hydropower Station's operation, it has saved about 1.59 million tons of standard coal and reduced about 3.98 million tons of carbon dioxide, easing the high foreign exchange consumption caused by energy imports for Pakistan. Clean electricity will effectively promote the competitiveness of Pakistan's textile, light industry and other sectors, and bring new opportunities for Pakistan's industrialization and modernization development.
A Tale on the Inheritance and Development of Nuclear Power
In 1995, Ji Mingli came to the Pakistan Chashma Nuclear Power Plant, which was jointly constructed by China and Pakistan, and served as a monitor of the electrical installation team. He met Pakistani general worker Latif, who was his age. Latif is intelligent, studious, and passionate. He occasionally takes Ji Mingli to consult with electricians, and the two have become good friends in life. In 1999, the first phase of the Chashma project ended and Ji Mingli returned to his country
Dennis said that, considering the instability and efficiency of wind power, people in Pakistan have many doubts about the development of wind power. Sachar Wind Power Station is one of the 14 priority projects for energy cooperation in the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, and the East China Institute takes the lead in the construction, operation and maintenance of the project. In 2017, Sachar Wind Power Station became the first contracted project of China–Pakistan Economic Corridor to achieve commercial operation, with a total installed capacity of 50000 kilowatts. In the field of green energy, the profound technological accumulation and excellent construction efficiency of Chinese enterprises have left a deep impression on Pakistani investors, "said Dennis.
The success of a number of wind power projects such as Sachar has shown people the broad prospects for the development of wind power in Pakistan. In recent years, multiple international development funds have provided financing for wind power projects in Pakistan, leading to concentrated development of wind power projects in Pakistan. According to data provided by the State Grid Corporation of Pakistan, it is expected that by 2025, the installed capacity of wind power will account for 8% of the total power generation capacity in Pakistan.
High voltage DC integrated power grid
In July, the scorching sun caused the ground temperature in the Punjab Plain of Pakistan to exceed 45 degrees Celsius. Jawad Ali put on protective clothing, tied on a safety rope, and climbed up the transmission tower, the ground getting farther and farther. As a line repairer of the Mutiary Lahore 660kV DC transmission project (Mura DC) in the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, his work place is 60 meters above the ground. To ensure the continuous and stable operation of the transmission line, he and his colleagues conducted planned maintenance on the transmission tower.
Mura DC is the north-south 'artery' of Pakistan's power grid system, "said Abdul Jabar Khan, executive director of Pakistan's National Transmission and Distribution Company. Pakistan's energy resources are unevenly distributed, and the northern region is facing a long-term electricity shortage. The Merla DC transmission project connects the energy rich southern region and will make important contributions to the coordinated supply of electricity in Pakistan.
As the first High-voltage direct current project in Pakistan, Mera DC transmission project has created many new records in terms of voltage level and transmission capacity of Pakistan's power transmission and transformation projects. The project was commenced in December 2018, with a total length of 886 kilometers, connecting Karachi and Lahore, two important industrial and commercial cities in Pakistan, and can transmit more than 30 billion kilowatt hours of electricity every year. In June 2021, Mehra DC will enter the stage of heavy load power transmission, connecting the power generation capacity of southern Pakistan with the central Punjab Province with the highest power demand, effectively improving the stability and transmission capacity of Pakistan's national grid, and ensuring power supply for the people in Lahore and surrounding areas.
Mera DC provides important infrastructure support for Pakistan's development of clean energy. According to the report "Power Achievements and Market Outlook of China–Pakistan Economic Corridor" jointly issued by Pakistan Institute of Sustainable Development, Pakistan National University of Science and Technology and other well-known think tanks, as the first DC transmission project in Pakistan, Mera DC has realized the transmission mode of small power loss and long transmission distance with a high-level technical scheme, greatly improving the trans regional power allocation capacity of southern and northern Pakistan Effectively regulating the uneven distribution of clean energy such as wind power in time and space, promoting the rapid development of clean energy in Pakistan