China transferring high-quality industrial capacity to Pakistan through economic corridor building

ISLAMABAD — China is transferring its high-quality industrial capacity to its close neighbor Pakistan under their multi-billion-US-dollars project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, with the latest example being the inauguration of the first unit of Port Qasim coal-fired power plant using the world most advanced super critical thermal technology.

The first unit, which is expected to generate 4.5 billion units of electricity annually, is a highly efficient and environment friendly generator that will consume less amount of coal and reduce emission of sulfide with its limestone-gypsum wet desulfurization technology.

Agha Saeed Khan, a supervisor at HSE department in Port Qasim plant, said that people can use their bare eyes to tell the differences between the modern coal-fired power plant and other thermal plants with outdated technologies. "We have a power plant right beside us which has been running on the fossil fuel since a long time ago. You can see smoke there and compare with the chimneys this power plant is doing, you can see the differences," the young guy told Xinhua.

The Port Qasim is a "zero emission" power plant, according to Yan Zhiyong, chairman of the Power China, the constructor of the new coal-fired plant. He said that "You can see the white smoke' from both the chimney and cooling tower. It is actually water vapor."

He said that during the 168-hour test running period, indicators on emission monitored by the power plant were all better than the World Bank standards. "It is because that we provide the Port Qasim plant the world's most advanced coal-firing technologies and equipment with the world's top design and construction work," he further explained.

Yan said that his team, from planning and designing to constructing and operating, passed their high capacities, advanced technologies and progressive experiences to the Pakistani side to help the country develop its own modern power sector with minimized costs and maximized achievements. "This is the idea of Power China to involve in the Pakistani market," he told reporters in Port Qasim recently.

"We also put great importance to forge a professional Pakistani team in the power plant. We pledged that the first team to operate and maintain the Port Qasim power plant must have our Pakistani friends. And now, we have a Pakistani team that can run such a world top class coal-fried power plant," he added.

The second unit of the power plant is expected to be launched in February next year. At that time, the power plant will provide 9 billion unit of clean and cheapest electricity to about 4 million Pakistani families, according to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Meanwhile, at the edge of Cholistan desert, a 300 megawatt solar power farm has become the major electricity source for about 280,000 families in Bahawalpur. The solar power farm was recently awarded the Luban Prize for Construction Project (Overseas Project), China's top prize in construction industry, for its outstanding construction quality.

In a short period about two months, the first 50 megawatt solar plates were all installed, which was supposed to take half a year to fulfill, and the entire farm was completed in June last year. since then, the farm has generated some 730 million units of electricity for Bahawalpur.

Mohammad, a Bahawalpur resident, told Xinhua that they are happy to have the solar farm as it tremendously shortened local load shedding by about 10 hours in torrid summer.

The high standard of construction in the solar plant allows automatic plate washing system to perform its role to maintain effective power generating.

Gong Xiaobin, executive director of China First Metallurgical Group Co Ltd (CFMCC) Pakistan Branch, told Xinhua recently in Karachi that a series of new technologies in China were used in building the solar plant and the company also developed some proprietary technologies during the construction.

"It is the first time for the CFMCC to build a new energy project, we brought China's new technologies to Pakistan and we are following the spirit of the craftsman in this project," Gong said.

He said that as people in Pakistan are growingly aware of the worsening smog weather in Punjab Province, outdated fossil consuming power plant should be replaced and the green energy like solar power is a choice for Pakistan.

Along the economic corridor, Chinese companies like Power China and CFMCC are using their expertise in helping develop Pakistan's infrastructure in various industries, thus paving the way for the country to achieve its "Vision 2025".

According to the blueprint, Vision 2025 will provide a conceptual platform for the revival of sustainable and inclusive growth, benefiting all citizens of Pakistan, strengthen development foundation and enable the country to achieve international development goals within their respective time frames.