The China- Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is now gaining momentum with the completion of phase 1 of a 300-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant. Financed by the Export Import Bank of China and built by Chinese energy conglomerate Zonergy Co, has been connected to the grid in the Punjab Province of Pakistan at the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in Bahawalpur. A major milestone in the economic cooperation between China and Pakistan: this is the first phase of the 900MW plant that is to be the world's largest single photovoltaic power station. When completed (est. late 2016) the solar power station, will save 394,000 tons of standard coal and reduce 826,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year.
The CPEC, a 3,000-km network of roads, railways and pipelines linking Kashgar in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and southwest Pakistan's Gwadar Port, is also a major project of the "Belt and Road" initiative. Pakistani officials predict that the project will result in the creation of upwards of 700,000 direct jobs between 2015–2030, and add 2 to 2.5 percentage points to the country's annual economic growth. In addition to the Zonergy project, a number of new energy projects are being currently constructed by Chinese companies. In total over 10,400MW of energy generating capacity is to be developed between 2018 and 2020 as part of the corridor's fast-tracked "Early Harvest" projects in conjunction with the Bahawalpur PV plant.
The 1.65-billion USD Karot hydropower plant, the first investment project of the Silk Road Fund, is being developed by the China Three Gorges Corporation. Construction of the 720 MW project has begun and is expected to be put into operation in 2020.
The Port Qasim coal-fired power plant, is being constructed by Powerchina Resources Limited. The 2.085-billion USD project is due to be operational by the end of 2017.
SK Hydro Consortium is constructing the 870 MW Suki Kinari Hydropower Project in the Kaghan Valley with financing by China's EXIM bank.
The Jhimpir Wind Power Plant, built by the Turkish company Zorlu Enerji has already begun to sell 56.4 MW of electricity to the government of Pakistan, though under CPEC, another 250MW of electricity are to be produced by the Chinese-Pakistan consortium United Energy Pakistan.
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Despite several renewable energy projects, the bulk of new energy generation capacity under CPEC will be coal-based plants, with $5.8 billion worth of coal power projects expected to be completed by early 2019 as part of the CPEC's "Early Harvest" projects.
