At 8 am local time on Feb 24, in the production area of the Port Qasim Coal-fired Power Plant in Pakistan, Chinese and Pakistani workers wearing masks are taking temperature measurements, washing their hands and getting ready to start their normal work.

At present, the on-duty rate of the power plant is up to 100 percent, and the power is running at full capacity to ensure the stable operation of the unit. As the first big energy project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan and the biggest overseas investment of POWERCHINA, the Port Qasim Coal-fired Power Plant, in accordance with the requirements for deployment of POWERCHINA and POWERCHINA Resources Limited, switched to a two-way 'battle mode', described as "epidemic prevention and control plus safe production", immediately after the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

As of Feb 23, the power plant has generated a total of 1.34 billion kWh of electricity in 2020, providing a continuous source of energy to more than four million users in Pakistan.

On Jan 28, Port Qasim Electric Power Company organized a staff meeting to conduct scientific planning for both epidemic prevention and regular operations.

The company has strengthened its production operation and maintenance personnel organization, scientifically allocated the existing on-job technical force, quantified the daily workload, improved equipment reliability, and guaranteed the unit capacity.

At the same time, the company strictly implements production safety responsibility at all levels, and has strengthened safe production responsibility systems and risk control measures during this special period.

In order to ensure normal operation of the power plant, Port Qasim Electric made the purchase and reserve of coal, fuel oil, key spare parts and other bulk materials in advance. Currently, the thermal coal is of high inventory, fully guaranteeing production demand. While ensuring stable power generation, the Port Qasim Electric Power Company has optimized the electrostatic precipitator, the desulfurization system, circulating pump operation modes and air compressor.

It has also decreased the rate of auxiliary power, and coordinated 37 rectification jobs of final defects and optimization problems of SEPCOIII Electric Power Construction Co in Shandong province and POWERCHINA Gansu Energy Investment Co.

As the first batch of CPEC power and energy projects have been completed and put into operation, the power shortage in Pakistan has been greatly improved and the supply and demand balance has been basically reached.

In 2020, a number of energy projects will be put into operation, which will bring more fierce market competition for electricity production in Pakistan.

An official of Port Qasim Electric Power Company said that facing the new situation, new tasks and new demands, the company plans ahead, adheres to customer-centric and win-win principles, strives to promote its overseas business and consolidates the friendship between China and Pakistan.