Only CPEC DC Power Transmission Project in Pakistan Goes into Operation

The Matiari-Lahore direct current (DC) transmission project in Pakistan went into commercial operation on Sept 1.

Invested and built by State Grid Corporation of China (State Grid), the project is the only power transmission and transformer project under the framework of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and the first of its kind to open to foreign investment in the country.

Linking converter stations in Lahore and Hyderabad, respectively the second-largest and sixth-largest cities in the country, the 886-kilometer direct current (DC) power transmission line is equipped with China-developed ±660 kV DC power transmission technology and is capable of transmitting 4 million kilowatts of power.

Construction on the project started in December 2018. It will help Pakistan realize upgrade its backbone power grid and help the country stride into an era of hybrid power that integrates both alternating and direct current.

An artery to transmit power from the country's south to north, the project is a good example of the cooperation that China and Pakistan have had in the energy field.

Capable of providing stable and high-quality power for 9.3 million local households, the project will improve the country's energy and power infrastructure and support its social and economic development.

Approximately 7,000 positions were offered to local residents during the project's construction.

(Executive editor: Niu Yilin)