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Voith Hydro Shanghai to supply turbines

for Pakistan’s 800-MW Mohmand Dam

PAKISTAN VOITH Group’s Chinese subsidiary Voith Hydro said Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Shanghai (VHS) has gained an 800-MW order Meanwhile, The World Bank agreed this week
from China Gezhouba Group Corp. (CGGC) to provide $1.15bn to fund two power projects
to supply four 200-MW Francis turbine gener- in Pakistan.
ator units for Pakistan’s flagship Mohmand Dam Some $450mn will go to the Khyber Pakh-
hydropower plant (HPP). tunkhwa Hydropower and Renewable Energy
VHS said this week that it had signed the Development project, which the bank says will
equipment supply contract in Beijing on Sep- help Pakistan use more renewable energy and
tember 30 for the plant, which is being built as cut the cost of electricity production.
part of the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor, It will see two dams being built – the 157-MW
which itself forms a major element of China’s Belt Madyan dam and the 88-MW Gabral-Kalam
and Road Initiative (BRI). dam – as well as possible solar projects.
The contract also covers online monitor- The rest of the money will fund a transmis-
ing systems, with the first generator unit set to sion line from the Dasu Dam, a massive gravity
be commissioned by 2025 and all four coming dam under construction on the River Indus in
online by 2026. the Kohistan District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
A consortium of China Gezhouba Group, a Province.
subsidiary of ENERGY CHINA, and DESCON When the first stage is complete, in early
Power Solutions of Pakistan is building the 800- 2025, it is expected to generate up to 2.2 GW of
MW Mohmand Dam plant. electricity, although the eventual capacity will be
The Mohmand Dam HPP is situated in the 4.3 GW.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The World Bank will provide $700mn to this
It is the first flagship project to be funded by scheme, alongside the Industrial and Commer-
the new government of Pakistan led by Imran cial Bank of China ($1.5bn), Deutsche Bank
Khan. ($1bn) and Aga Khan Development Network
The project will offer approximately 6,000 ($500mn).
jobs for Pakistan at the peak period of construc- Pakistan’s power sector desperately needs
tion and generate an annual average of 2,862 new investment to drive economic growth.
GWh of clean power at full operation. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently
In addition, the project will offer 140mn said that the country’s power sector needs $10bn
cubic metres of drinking water per year to local to meet demand for electricity and to support
citizens. Its annual revenue will be approximately economic growth, with debts and unpaid bills in
€320mn ($380mn). particular holding back investment.
“The Mohmand hydropower plant has been a While Pakistan is open to Western funding
dream project for years of both the Pakistan gov- supported by the ADB, it is also a major recipient
ernment and the people. The construction is of of Chinese funding, and is a major strategic pivot
great significance. Once completed, the project in Beijing’s BRI, with the Mohmand Dam just the
will help mitigate flood disasters, enhance food latest Chinese-supported infrastructure project
safety, alleviate power shortage and further drive under construction.™
Pakistan’s social and economic development,”

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 42 21•October•2020