The Suki Kinari (SK) hydropower plant reached a major milestone on Tuesday by successfully completing the back-up process, marking the official countdown to grid-connected electricity generation.
Located on the Kunhar River in Mansehra, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, SK Hydropower is a flagship project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a key component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
Developed and built by China Energy Overseas Investment Co., Ltd. (Energy China) represents the largest greenfield hydropower investment by Chinese enterprises abroad and Energy China’s most significant hydropower investment to date.
HE Xiongfei, Chairman and CEO of SK Hydro (Private) Limited, commented on the success: “The reverse power is a critical test of the operational condition of the high voltage equipment in the 500 KV SK Hydropower Station under full voltage. The entire power transmission process strictly adhered to the operating procedures for reverse power supply After power transmission, the equipment operated stably on the entire line, and all indicators met the design requirements and successfully achieved the set goals.
With the Commercial Operation Date (COD) approaching, SK Hydro is projected to generate an average of 3.212 billion kilowatt-hours per year once operational. More than one million Pakistani households are expected to benefit from this influx of affordable and clean energy, offering a substantial boost to the nation’s power and energy infrastructure. The project is poised to address the existing supply-demand imbalance and support infrastructure transformation and economic development in Pakistan.
The successful Back Feeding underscores the collaborative efforts between Pakistan and China in promoting sustainable energy solutions and further strengthens bilateral ties under CPEC.
