Ayesha Saba

Karot Hydropower Project is a shining example of the CPEC's success in not only meeting Pakistan's energy needs but also promoting economic development, job creation, and environmental sustainability. Faizan Akbar, Manager of Engineering at the Karot Power Company (Pvt Ltd), said this while talking to WealthPK. "In Pakistan, power generation is one of the most serious challenges in the way of economic uplift and industrial advancement. Karot has successfully demonstrated the collaborative energy efforts between Pakistan and China. It contributed Rs4 billion worth of free-of-cost electricity to the national grid during its testing phase.

"Cumulatively, the project generated 3.64 billion kilowatt hours of power in the first year of its operation, saving around 1.59 million tonnes of traditional coal and reducing nearly 3.98 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions," he informed WealthPK. "Presently, four units are operating at their full capacity, feeding clean and green energy to the national grid and supporting the country's economic development," Faizan added.

He maintained that the company had developed a Community Investment Plan (CIP) to ensure that the project benefits trickled down to the local communities. The CIP implementation is in progress, which includes the construction of a new emergency block at the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital in Kahuta, rest houses in the nearby areas, parks for the locals and polytechnic institutes.

"The project developers recognize the importance of biodiversity and are working to safeguard two adjacent national parks — Murree-Kahuta-Kotli Sattian (MKKS) National Park and Azad Pattan National Park. These two national parks are located in the catchment area of the reservoir," he added. Talking to WealthPK, Muhammad Nadeem, Director of Hydropower Projects under the PPIB, said China was renowned for its expertise in building hydropower projects and they had brought their knowledge and technology to Pakistan through the CPEC.

He said Pak-China collaboration in the energy sector had not only enhanced Pakistan's capacity for power generation but also improved the overall efficiency of the country's energy sector. "Karot is a testament to the potential for cooperation and success in large-scale infrastructure projects, and it sets a bright precedent for the CPEC future. In order to save the country from the power shortfall, the only need is to implement such mega projects for sustainable production of electricity in future," he suggested.

Credit: INP-WealthPk