As many as 22 Chinese technicians from Gezhouba Corporation, China Energy Engineering Group (CEEC) have returned to Pakistan to resume work on hydropower plants after the completion of the quarantine period. They will resume work in Neelum-Jhelum hydropower plant, Suki Kinari hydropower station, Dasu hydropower plant, and Mohmand hydropower plant respectively being completed under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
More than 500 Chinese staff for these projects who had returned home for the Spring Festival were stranded at home due to the pandemic, causing an acute shortage in manpower.
Also, the logistics and customs clearance of equipment and materials could not be carried out smoothly citing the same reason, hence it poses a challenge for the company to achieve the goal of these projects on schedule, according to China Economic Net.
According to the arrangement, Suki Kinari hydropower station is planned to complete the excavation and support of the main powerhouse and phase II closure of the dam by 2020; The construction of diversion tunnel, underground powerhouse and other parts of Dasu hydropower station is underway, and the dam closure is planned to be realized by the end of 2021; Mohmand hydropower station project is under construction of China-Pakistan camp, excavation and support of access tunnel for key lines and open excavation of slope at the outlet of diversion tunnel. It is planned to complete the excavation of the traffic tunnel to the intersection of the No. 1 diversion tunnel by 2020. To ensure the progress of each project and honour the contract, Gezhouba Group of CEEC, after sorting out key positions and special work posts, dispatched 22 Chinese technicians to facilitate the projects. To ensure the safety of the returned workers and reduce the risk of infection, the company has strictly implemented the prevention measures in the process of airport transportation, transit accommodation, nucleic acid testing service, isolation and observation.
They returned to work after the test confirmed there was no infection, realizing a safe flow of the first batch of Chinese personnel since the closure of Pakistan. The hydropower projects undertaken by Gezhouba Group of CEEC will effectively alleviate the energy shortage in Pakistan, help develop its industries and improve people’s livelihood. It will significantly optimize Pakistan’s power energy structure, especially reduce its dependence on high-cost and high-pollution old fuel power plants to achieve both economic and environmental benefits. Under the situation that the task of epidemic prevention and control for Pakistan is still arduous and the pressure of production and operation is huge, the staff of Gezhouba Group, CEEC return to work with a high sense of responsibility and brotherhood to push forward the construction progress and make contributions to Pakistan’s energy development.
