The Balakot Hydropower Project in Pakistan, constructed by China Energy Engineering Group (CEEC) subsidiary Gezhouba Group No.3 Engineering Co., successfully completed its dam closure on October 25, local time. This milestone has drawn widespread media attention.
Located along the Kunhar River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the Balakot Hydropower Station is currently the largest hydropower project under development by the provincial energy authority. The facility is equipped with three Francis turbine generator units, each with a capacity of 100 megawatts, bringing the total installed capacity to 300 megawatts. Upon completion, the project is expected to generate approximately 1.144 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, meeting the power demands of about 1.8 million people.
The closure operation commenced at 9:00 AM and was successfully completed within three hours, marking the transition from river diversion to dry foundation pit construction.
As a symbol of China-Pakistan friendship, the project has already created over 2,000 local jobs during construction while boosting related industries including power, building materials, and services. Habibullah Khan, CEO of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Energy and Power Development Organization and director of the Balakot project, stated that the hydropower station will provide stable, affordable electricity to the region, promoting development in agriculture, manufacturing, and service sectors while advancing Pakistan's green energy transition. Long-term operation will significantly reduce Pakistan's dependence on energy imports and enhance national energy security and economic stability.
Upstream from Balakot, the SK Hydropower Station—invested by CEEC's overseas investment arm and constructed by Gezhouba Group No.3—has been commercially operational for one year, delivering 2.8 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity to Pakistan and becoming a key driver of economic growth and livelihood support.
Over the past two decades, Gezhouba Group No.3 has actively participated in Pakistan's infrastructure development across energy, power, and transportation sectors, including major projects such as the NJ, Mohmand, Karot, and DASU hydropower stations, along with the E35 Highway and M4 Motorway, consistently contributing Chinese expertise to Pakistan's socioeconomic progress.