UET Lahore students visit SK Hydropower Project for academic, technical exchange

ISLAMABAD, Aug 18 (APP):More than 70 students and faculty members from the Civil Engineering Department of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore, Narowal Campus, visited the underground powerhouse and damsite of the Suki Kinari (SK) Hydropower Project as part of an academic exchange and on-site study programme.

As the project owner, S K Hydro (Private) Limited extended a warm welcome to all visiting teachers and students, and made thorough preparations in advance including route planning, on-site technical briefings and safety awareness trainings, said a press release issued on Tuesday.

During the visit, the Project’s technical experts Masab Ali gave comprehensive and detailed presentations combining practical project conditions, covering the core technologies of the hydropower station, overall project profile, construction techniques and standardized operation and management systems, delivering professional and thorough on-site explanations for the visitors.

The visiting teachers and students spoke highly of the project’s mature and advanced construction schemes especially underground powerhouse, 23.1 KM headrace tunnel, Surge shaft, penstock and intelligent operation & maintenance management system, and fully commended the efficient coordination and excellent teamwork of Chinese and Pakistani on-site staff.

In addition, the SK Hydro displayed its achievements in ecological protection, livelihood public welfare and other corporate social responsibility initiatives, vividly demonstrating the central enterprise’s sense of responsibility rooted in the local area, boosting regional development of Pakistan and safeguarding the ecological environment of the river basin.

The delegation expressed sincere gratitude for the thoughtful reception and professional technical sharing provided by the project team. They stated that this on-site study made up for deficiencies in classroom theoretical learning, effectively broadened their academic horizons in civil engineering and improved their practical engineering capabilities. Meanwhile, they gained an intuitive understanding of the crucial driving role of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in advancing the development of clean energy and green low-carbon transformation across Pakistan.

SK Hydropower Station is mainly invested, constructed and operated by China Energy Overseas Investment Co., Ltd., who also serves as the major shareholder of S K Hydro (Private) Limited. The Project officially commenced commercial operation on September 14, 2024. To date, it has produced more than 5.35 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity.

As a flagship green energy project under CPEC, it has continuously underpinned Pakistan’s economic growth and energy security. Going forward, the project will further deepen cooperation with local community and prioritize talent training.