ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for its cooperation in Karot Hydropower project.

In a tweet, he announced that the 720 Megawatts Karot hydropower project had become functional.

The prime minister said it was the first hydropower project which had been completed under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

He said during last four and a half years of the previous government, no significant progress was made on the project.

ON March 30, the Karot Hydropower Project had achieved a major milestone towards the commercial operation date (COD) as it had successfully hoisted its 4th and final rotor at the powerhouse.

Read more: CPEC Karot Hydropower Project hoists its fourth rotor

The rotor was an important component used for the excitation function, which was essential to power generation. It was another major milestone toward the COD of first CPEC Hydro Power Project which was expected to be achieved in June 2022.

Each unit can produce 180MW of Power and the total hydropower potential of Karot HPP is 720MW which is expected to achieve commercial operation by June 2022, according to a press release issued here on Wednesday.

The Karot Hydropower project, located at a distance of about 76 Km from Islamabad have total Installed capacity of Karot HPP is 720 MW with an annual electricity generation of 3,206 Gwh. The project is equipped with four state of art Francis turbines and will fulfill the needs of five million consumers throughout Pakistan.

Since the groundbreaking of the project in April, 2016, the Chinese and Pakistani engineers and workers at the project have jointly overcome different challenges including the COVID-19 pandemic.

For the latest BOL Live News, Follow on Google News. Read more on Latest Pakistan News on oldsite.bolnews.com