Suki Kinari Hydropower Project to produce 870MW

ISLAMABAD: Suki Kinari, run-of-the-river largest private sector Hydropower Project in Pakistan will add 870MW to national grid by December 2022.

While talking to media persons Li Yuanling, Counsellor Embassy of China said that being at an advanced stage of development Suki Kinari Hydropower Project (SKHPP) has been included in the strategic China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said the project is listed as the high priority ‘Early Harvest Project (EHP)’ within the CPEC projects. Due to its importance, this project is being supported and closely monitored by the governments of Pakistan and China.

Suki Kinari Hydropower project is located on Kunhar River in the Kaghan Valley of District Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkwa.

Briefing about the project the Chinese engineer said that Chinese company ‘China Gezgouba Group Corporation’ started working on Suki Kinari Hydropower Project in December 2016 with the estimated cost of US $1.9 billion. The project would be completed on 31 December 2022 in 6 years.

Chinese engineer said in addition to our project, two projects have been announced by KPK at Batakundi (96MW) and Naran (188MW) both upstream of our project. Another project Patrind (147MW) is already underway downstream. So in all there would be 4 projects on this river with total capacity of 1300MW. Share of SK Hydro is 870MW. KPK is planning to undertake the Balakot Project (190MW) itself.

The Chinese engineer said that the Run-of-the-river projects envisage that the water is drawn from the river, taken to the turbines in a Powerhouse located downstream through tunnel and after running the turbines and producing energy the water is again diverted back to the river.

This water is now again available to be used to produce energy through yet another similar set up downstream. This is called cascading.

Chinese engineer said that the 3.081 billion MW of annual power will be generated during the formal operation of SKHPP. It helps alleviate Pakistan's chronic energy shortages, optimise power consumption structure and promote the economical development.

He said that cement, reinforcement, aggregate, diesel, explosive etc. are strongly required by the construction of SKHPP, which are purchased from Pakistan market.

He further said that the demand of Cement: 383000 tone with the amount of Rs4.6 billion; purchased quantities of cement: 22000 tone with the amount of Rs264 million.

The demand of reinforcement: 41280 tone with the amount of Rs4.3 billion; purchased quantities of reinforcement: 2900 tone with the amount of Rs302 million.

The demand of diesel: 29.8 billion liter with the amount of Rs3.4 billion; purchased quantities of diesel: the amount of Rs385 million. The demand of explosive: 3723 tone with the amount of Rs1.5 billion; purchased quantities of explosive: the amount of Rs90 million.

Chinese engineer said that around 1600 Pakistani people work in SKHPP including over 900 skilled people and over 700 labours. Recruitment plan in 2019 and 2020 will provide another 3000 jobs for the locals.

He said the majority of local people have not experience to work in Hydropower Project or other engineering projects, those of which need be trained by Chinese Foreman or skilled man such as surveyor, operator for heavy equipment, carpenter, electrician, welder, plumber etc.

The potential for energy generation from Kunhar River was first identified around 1960. In 1959, US consultants were engaged by Wapda to study this potential. In January 1960, they issued a report entitled “Kunhar River Project-Kaghan Valley.”