ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has taken a major step in its energy transition with the completion of the first tower of the Dasu 765 kV Transmission Line, the construction company PowerChina announced on its official website.
Once completed, the Dasu Hydropower Project will deliver more than 4,000 megawatts of clean energy in two stages, described by officials as a cornerstone of Pakistan’s renewable future and an essential step to reduce reliance on imported fuels.
The milestone marks the beginning of Lot-1, the northernmost section of the transmission line that passes through some of Pakistan’s most difficult mountainous terrain. The project combines local workforce participation with Chinese expertise, including real-time video monitoring to ensure safety and quality standards.
PowerChina, the company, through its subsidiary China Gezhouba Group Company (CGGC), is the main contractor for the Dasu Hydropower Project — constructing a 242-metre-high dam on the Indus River alongside the high-voltage line that will transmit electricity to Islamabad and the national grid. The project will be developed in two stages with a total capacity of 4,320 MW.
Stage I will generate 2,160 MW from six turbines, while Stage II will double output to 4,320 MW. Financed by the World Bank, Dasu is one of Pakistan’s priority projects under its Power Policy 2013 and Vision 2025. Once completed, it will supply more than 21,000 GWh of clean electricity annually, cutting dependence on imported fuels and stabilising the national grid.
CPEC Phase II: Rail, Roads, and Ports
The Dasu achievement coincided with renewed commitments from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chinese Premier Li Qiang to accelerate core projects under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
Three priorities were highlighted: the long-delayed Main Line-I (ML-I) railway upgrade stretching 1,700 kilometres from Karachi to Peshawar, the realignment of the Karakoram Highway (KKH) to enhance safety and resilience in Gilgit-Baltistan, and the operationalisation of Gwadar Port as a deep-sea hub for regional trade.
Both leaders described these initiatives as essential to CPEC Phase II, which aims to modernise Pakistan’s infrastructure, deepen economic integration, and expand business-to-business ties under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Strengthening the “Iron-Clad” Partnership
The two governments also signed the Joint Action Plan 2024–2029, which sets out new areas of cooperation in green development, digital technology, and energy transition.
Analysts note that Dasu, Gwadar, ML-I, and the KKH realignment are the backbone of CPEC’s next stage, reinforcing what both countries call their “iron-clad, all-weather” partnership. For Pakistan, the projects promise energy security and economic revival; for China, they demonstrate the Belt and Road Initiative’s lasting role in shaping South Asian connectivity.
