The 700.7MW Azad Pattan Hydropower Project is located on River Jhelum at dual boundary between AJ&K and Punjab. This is being developed under provisions of Government of Pakistan (GoP) Policy for Power Generation Projects 2002 by APPL comprising of China Gezhouba Group as the sponsors. Due to rising circular debt and negative outlook of Pakistan’s power sector, the China Export Credit Insurance Corporation (Sinosure) is reluctant to issue Letter of Support (LoS) to 700.7MW Azad Pattan Hydropower Project. The project is included in the NEPRA-approved Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) 2021-30 and is part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) program. The project is at advanced stage of development with only few milestones pending including IRSA’s NOC which are causing delay in Financial Closing of the project. Since the primarily arrangement of financing is responsibility of sponsors; therefore, representative of Project Company apprised that they have used their good offices in China. This will not only speed up the work but will also strengthen the Pak-China everlasting friendship.
