Chinese technicians arrive to accelerate power transmission project

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The second batch comprising of 76 technicians from the China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co. Ltd. (CET) has arrived Islamabad on a chartered flight to strengthen the staff capacity to expedite work on the ongoing Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line Project.  

The Matiari-Lahore DC Power Transmission Project is a priority undertaking of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework. 

The China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of State Grid Corporation of China, had started work on the project on December 1, 2018. At present, a total of 1,069 Chinese and 1,505 Pakistani personnel have been engaged in the project. 

It is the first DC power transmission project in Pakistan and the first local project open to foreign investment in power transmission and converting. 

The Chinese technicians have reached Islamabad over the weekend, according to a report published by China Economic Net (CEN). 

At the peak of COVID-19 in Pakistan, the State Grid Corporation of China effectively concentrated on its task by sending support technicians as well as most needed the anti-pandemic supplies to Pakistan through chartered flights. 

The first batch of 130 support technicians for the Matiari-Lahore DC Power Transmission Project had reached Pakistan on June 10. In the next phase, the State Grid will accelerate the construction of Matiari-Lahore DC Power Transmission Project to ensure that it would be put into operation on schedule.