2 power plants to be operational by year-end

beijing — Two more wind power plants, to be installed in Sindh province with 33 wind turbines each, will collectively start producing 99MW electricity by the end of this year.

The two projects with a designed capacity of 49.5 megawatt each, are among the 21 energy cooperation projects to be completed under early harvest programme of ChinaPakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of One Belt, One Road initiative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, official sources said on Sunday.

The two projects, to be completed by China Three Gorges Corporation (CGT), one of the world’s largest energy companies, will be capable of providing energy to around 120,000 households in the country.

According to head of the administration department of the first phase of its wind energy project, Wu Di, China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Limited, a subsidiary of the CTG’s international arm, will invest $224 million in the two projects to be completed in 18 months in the Jhimpir area of Thatta district.

China Three Gorges South Asia Investment Limited has successfully established Three Gorges First Wind Farm Pakistan on a Build-own-operate model at a cost of $130.279 million, which has already been providing 49.5MW power. Three Gorges First Wind Farm Pakistan, located 90km east of the southern port city of Karachi and 80km from Arabian Sea, produced 146.26 million KWh in one year with 33 wind turbines, fulfilling the needs of around 60,000 households.

Pakistan has a 1,046-kilometerlong coastal line that has abundant wind resources with an average wind speed of 7.4 metres/second creating a huge potential of wind energy production.

According to Wu Di, the second and third phases of the wind projects are likely to create employment opportunities for around 1,200 locals during the highest construction time, and for around 70 locals during the operational period.