Debunking myths, Sahiwal Power Plant unleashes quality life
by Yasir Habib Khan
Bibi Rozina is ablaze with blissful happiness. Jubilation is justified as she has recently bought a small house once was a just a dream in past; her husband’s medical treatment is now possible, and the preparation for the marriage of her daughter is on the way. Sitting in the beautiful house with new home appliances and furniture, she is contemplating various plans to materialize in the coming years.
Behind all these miraculous changes is the full-package job of her son Muhammad Ali who works as a laborer in Sahiwal Coal-fired Power Plant. Since Muhammad Ali joined the power plant, his family destiny seems to have changed dramatically.
Before Coal-fired power plant, employment opportunities and living conditions were in tatter. Among others, poverty-stricken Bibi Rozina had hopeless eyes overloaded with dense wrinkles and felt very loom about the future of her son and family financial downturn. She had shanty home on rent. Her husband had been fighting with prolonged ailment, and her son, Muhammad Ali was unemployed.
Fortunes knocked door when miraculous Sahiwal Coal-fired power plant came to prominence. Besides contributing its role to minimizing scale of energy crisis and meeting at least 10 percent of total national power need, it has become a sound source of employment for youth from its construction to operation. Apart from Muhammad Ali family, there are a plenty of families that benefited from the plant.
“Sahiwal coal-fired power plant is not just a power plant instead a lifeline of my future and career building,” Muhammad Ali said. So far the plant has employed around 3,000 manpower from local community. Volume of local employees is around 90 percent in comparison to the Chinese staff.
With every perspective, it is a masterpiece of success with stable supply of power, playing a vital role in safeguarding the energy security of Pakistan. Approximately, the power plant has supplied over 19.2 billion kilowatt-hours’ clean energy to national grid till July 31 for the power consumers of Pakistan, filling a quarter of the country’s power shortage and meeting the electricity demand of more than 4 million households. At the same time it has effectively promoted the development of local industries and injected strong impetus into socio-economic development of local regions.
A Hope for Youth’s Career
Zohiab Hassan Khokhar, an Environmental Engineer in Sahiwal Coal-fired power plant, is one of the finest examples of those who joined the plant and set their professional life ablaze.
“I am from a middle class family at Thokar Niaz Biaig Lahore. I was looking for a good start for career. Given the situation in which system does not value qualification and competence, there was meager hope for handsome job. But, my perception had to change when Sahiwal Coal-fired power plant hired me purely on merit, which makes me think that if China is shining, the reason is nothing else but merit-based system that is prevailing in the country,” he explained.
After joining Huaneng Shandong Ruyi (Pakistan) Energy (Limited), Mr. Zohaib said that he got miraculous opportunity to hone his technical skills under the mentor of world-class brainy engineers. After getting equipped with latest technological knowledge with hands-on experience and utilizing them practically in the production and operation of the plant, Mr. Zohaib said, “I feel myself fit for global competitive market in the field of environmental engineering and coal-fired plant.”
“I have the assumption that Pakistanis love Chinese People even more. I observed during my training period in China that as much as we love them, they love us too, with innate passion and intensity, unleashing overwhelming congeniality, respect and care,” he pointed out.
Shedding light on the working environment in the Huaneng Shandong Ruyi (Pakistan) Energy (Limited), Ali Yasob, a material engineer (Planning) said that the company has set high standards of level playing field in each and every sector, to promise all to grow together.
“Despite of the cultural and religious differences, Chinese and Pakistani staff lived as families with complete harmony. In their special occasions, we joined in Chinese staff’s celebrations and they do the same with high spirit and enthusiasm,” he said.
A Promise to Protect Eco-friendly Community
Sahiwal project is a key prioritized project under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It is the first super-critical power plant in Pakistan and the first power plant completed under CPEC.
Chinese and Pakistani engineers and constructors work hard together to resolve the long-existed power crisis in Pakistan. The construction had been completed within 22 months and 8 days, 200 days ahead of schedule, making it “Sahiwal Speed.” China Huaneng Group has fulfilled its solemn promise to Pakistani Government and people. This project is a miracle in the history of power construction in Pakistan. Itis highly praised by both Chinese and Pakistani governments and counterparts at home and abroad.
Huaneng Shandong Ruyi (Pakistan) Energy (Limited) Sahiwal project is a joint venture of Huaneng Shandong Power Generation Company and Shandong Ruyi Group, with an investment of about $1.8 billion.
Sahiwal project is the largest, fastest and the first environmentally friendly coal-fired power plant that has been completed under CPEC, with the most optimal technological and environmental indicators.
It seems to be a living wonder in the history of coal-fired power plants. Ensuring higher standards in maintaining best ecosystem, values of the hazardous gases of SO2 NOX, CO and mercury are kept lower than the values set by World Bank, Japan, EU as well as Pakistan from the start till date at Sahiwal Coal-Fired Power plant.
It has also set up a Continuous Emission Monitoring System (CEMS) for monitoring the Particulate Matter (PM). In order to strength the Environmental Monitoring Protocols, Project Company has hired EPA Certified Third party Environmental Monitoring Company to follow Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP) and to submit monthly the Environmental Reports. The Company has also installed Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station to keenly monitor the air quality and to make sure quality air in accordance to NEQS.
In designing the coal yard, the company has paid special attention to environmental protection. The coal yard is equipped with water spraying guns to avoid coal dust. The catch fence is provided around the coal yard, which is 2m higher than height of coal pile. Regarding misunderstanding that untreated water is released into outside agriculture land damaging land fertility and crops, the plant has installed one of the best water treatment facilities, in which coal wastewater is treated and reused. Thus, it never goes into the field.
Ash yard is designed according to Chinese standards polyethylene geo-membrane (two cloth one membrane) of the design to (artificial barrier layer) has the equivalent permeability coefficient of 1.0x10-7cm/s and 1.5M thick clay layer to control seepage.
This project has won both the highest honors in China’s power industry and construction field, and many awards of federal and provincial level in Pakistan.
The Company does not only build world-leading modern power plant, but also unreservedly imparts the knowledge in construction, operation and management to local employees so that they can run this power plant by themselves within about 5 years.
171 Pakistani employees had been sent to modern power plants in China for technical training, which makes this training program the largest of its kind. It is planned to train around 300 local students every year with various technical courses and it will become a China-Pakistan cultural and technological exchange hub.
At present, the technical training school is completed and has enrolled the first batch of students for internship program. Over years of training by the company, more and more Pakistanis have become highly skilled engineers, the backbone of the future of Pakistan.
With the introduction of CPEC energy projects, Pakistan has added 3,240 MW to the national grid, amounting to more than 11 percent of the total installed capacity of 29,000 MW in Pakistan.
These projects also have helped Pakistan reduce its heavy dependence on gas and LNG power plants, which account for 50 percent of total installed capacity. Moreover, Pakistan’s foreign exchange has been saved in this regard.
Yasir Habib Khan, senior journalist, special commentator of China Economic Net.
