More than 90% work complete on Karot Hydropower project

ISLAMABAD – The Karot Hydropower Project will start its commercial operation by first half of the year 2022 as around 95 percent work of the project had been completed, according to official sources in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Authority. Recently, the Karot Hydropower Project, which is a major project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), successfully closed the gates of the diversion tunnels, starting reservoir impoundment. The project has been invested by the China Three Gorges Corporation (CTG) with a total value of about $1.74 billion. The Karot hydropower project in Punjab province is the fourth level of the five cascade hydropower stations planned for the Jhelum River. The beginning of the reservoir impoundment of the first CPEC hydropower project is a milestone and will pave the way for the wet testing of the generator units. Since the groundbreaking of the project in April, 2015, the Chinese and Pakistani engineers and workers at the project have jointly overcome different challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic, thus a series of achievements have been made such as the river closure and lifting of the first rotor. The sources said that the start of reservoir impoundment is hard-earned fruit by the mutual support between the Pakistani and Chinese workers. The forthcoming commercial operation of the hydropower station project, which has provided over 4,000 jobs for the locals during the peak time of its constriction, will further address the electricity shortage issues in Pakistan with cheap and clean energy and improve the energy structure of the country.