ISLAMABAD - The second unit of 1320MW Sahiwal power plant has been completed and it will be put into operation from today (Monday).

The inauguration ceremony of the second unit, with the capacity of 660 MW, is scheduled on 3rd of July where Pakistan will be represented by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal, while China will be represented by Nuer Baikeli, vice chairman of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), chairman and party secretary of National Energy Administration (minister level), it was learnt reliably here Sunday.

It is pertinent to mention here that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has already inaugurated the first unit of the Sahiwal power plant, with the capacity to generate 660 MW electricity, in late May this year. The project is already connected with the national grid. Sahiwal coal fired power plant with a total generation capacity of 1320 megawatts (2×660MW supercritical coal-fired generating units) is one of the early harvest projects of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).The power plant is first overseas large-scale high-efficiency coal-fired power project built by Huaneng and Ruyi, under the "Belt and Road" Initiative.

The project was jointly constructed by China Huaneng Shandong Power Generation Co., Ltd. and Shandong Ruyi Technology Group Co., Ltd., with a total investment of about $1.8 billion. The project is located about 18 km northeast of Sahiwal. The construction was started on July 31, 2015 and by June 8th both of the two units completed 168 hours full-load test run.

According to the official, the construction of Sahiwal coal-fired power plant lasted 22 months and 8 days, which is 22 days ahead of the internal control milestone plan, and 200 days ahead of the contract period. It has fulfilled the solemn commitment to the government and people of Pakistan, and created ‘Sahiwal Speed’ in the energy construction of China Pakistan Economy Corridor participated by Huaneng and Ruyi.

Sahiwal Power plant can produce over 9 billion KHW electricity annually, which can satisfy the electricity demand of 10 million people, and is expected to fill 1/4 of the power deficit in Pakistan.

This project has realized production with high quality and high standard, with achievements of 9 ‘Full Success’ of both units in the boiler hydraulic tests, back energization, DCS system energization, assembling of turbine upper cylinder, acid washing of boilers, ignition and steam blowing of boilers, steam turbine running, synchronization, 168-hour full-load test run.

340MW Chashma nuclear

power plant-IV to be

completed by Oct

DNA: The Chashma nuclear power plant- IV (C-4) of three hundred and forty megawatts is expected to be completed by October this year. According to official sources, the government has allocated more than seven billion rupees for this project. The project is a joint collaboration between the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission and China National Nuclear Corporation.