ISLAMABAD: According to a news source, Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar has said the present government has been actively pursuing China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects for their early completion.
He was addressing at the virtual inauguration of high-power testing of ± 660kV Matiari-Lahore HVDC Transmission Line project being witnessed simultaneously in Pakistan and China here Friday, the minister said CPEC was of utmost importance for Pakistan as it would enable the country to enhance industrial production, upgrade energy and communication infrastructure and improve connectivity within the region. The CPEC has generated many employments and investment opportunities in Pakistan and beyond, he said.
The minister said the government was committed to providing necessities to the masses through its power projects. The government has performed well in the last 3 years and it has attained various projects on different fronts, he said.
Hammad said the government has also worked to improve the electricity transmission system in the country and a record 24,633 MW power was transmitted in the current month through its national power system.
Further, he appreciated the hard work of NTDC management, PPIB, PMLTC and State Grid Corporation of China for making the project a huge success.
“We have also celebrated the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Pakistan recently. The friendship between the two countries is expanded in different sectors like education, power sector, tourism, trade, defense, health along with CPEC projects,” he observed.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Nong Rong congratulated NTDC Pakistan and State Grid Corporation of China for the successful completion of the high power test for the Matiari-Lahore HVDC Project. He also expressed sincere gratitude to the Ministry of Energy, CPEC Authority, NEPRA and China National Energy Administration for the unremitting support and convenience provided.
“Matiari-Lahore HVDC Project is the only power transmission project in the CPEC priority list, as well as the first HVDC transmission project in Pakistan, devoting itself to address the bottleneck of electricity transmission from south to north and upgrading the layout of Pakistan national grid, “ he said.
He said up to now, CPEC has attained $25.4 billion investment in Pakistan, which increases for Pakistan as much as 5,200 MW of installed power generation capacity, 886,000 meters of national power transmission line, 510 kilometres of highway, and 75,000 jobs created while in the peak time of construction.
Further, he said, “Due to its tremendous contributions to Pakistan’s economic and social development, CPEC gains widespread praises from the whole society of Pakistan and attracts extensive attention from the international community as well”.
“As we know, the stable power supply is the foundation of industrialization and industrial cooperation. For that purpose, the project, under the strong guidance and leadership of China National Energy Administration and State Grid, is supposed to well operated and maintained, functioning as the main artery to transmit the power from south to north, and be gradually adapted to localization” he said.
Speaking on the occasion, MD NTDC Muhammad Ayub said low testing of the transmission line had already been conducted during which 800 MW and 2200 MW electricity was successfully transmitted.
CEO Pak Matiari-Lahore Transmission Company Wang Bo and others also spoke on the occasion. The ceremony was also attended by Chairman NEPRA Tauseef H Farooqi, Chairman CPEC Authority Lt Gen (R) Asim Saleem Bajwa, Secretary Power Division Ali Raza Bhutta, MD PPIB Shah Jahan Mirza, the CEO PMLTC, and Chairman CET China while Chinese senior officials also participated through video link from China.
For more news visit: https://www.sirmaya.com/blog/news/
News source: https://nation.com.pk/E-Paper/lahore/2021-06-26/page-1/detail-12
