ISLAMABAD (PEN) : Over the past decade, the Sahiwal Coal-Fired Power Plant has emerged as a powerful engine of employment and economic uplift in Pakistan. Launched in 2015 under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the plant has not only generated 1,320 MW of electricity but also created thousands of jobs during construction and operations. Over 5,000 local workers were employed during construction alone, providing stability to struggling households and stimulating local commerce.
More than 200 Pakistani staff received advanced training in China, gaining international exposure and technical expertise. Today, over 70% of the plant’s workforce is Pakistani, with numbers set to rise due to a strategic focus on localization. The establishment of a technical training institute further ensures long-term skill development for local workers.
The journey started in July 2015 when the construction of the plant began. Just this phase created jobs for more than 5,000 local workers, offering immediate income and stability to families in the area. At that time, there was a shortage of electricity, and the financial condition of the people in the area was unstable. The arrival of jobs during this time not only raised household incomes but also invigorated local businesses and services, generating a ripple effect of economic expansion.
During the commissioning of the Sahiwal power plant, more than 200 Pakistani staff traveled to China for over 10 months to learn advanced technical training and professional industry skills in various cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Rizhao and Weihai. The Sahiwal coal-fired power plant has provided its staff with international exposure opportunities. This initiative has benefited the local workforce and strengthened Pak-China bilateral relations. As a result, they have experienced career growth and financial stability. Continuous work and competency development. Currently, the Sahiwal Coal-fired Power Plant maintains a workforce in which over 70% of the employees are Pakistani. As more Chinese workers return to their country, the number of Pakistani workers is expected to increase in the near future. Thanks to this localization strategy that has been developed by the management of the Sahiwal power plant, the benefits of the plant have been deeply rooted in the local community.
One of the long-term benefits of the Sahiwal project is the transfer of technical knowledge. With a state-of-the-art technical training institute at Sahiwal power plant, the power plant organizes comprehensive technical training programs for the professional and personal growth of the employees, utilizing the advanced infrastructure of Huaneng Pakistan Vocational & Technical College. Chinese and Pakistani engineers worked side by side, exchanging expertise in advanced energy generation technologies. Local workers gained experience in managing and maintaining a large-scale thermal power plant, enhancing their skills and making them valuable assets for future energy projects in Pakistan. This skill development boosts the national workforce by spreading expertise as trained workers transition to other sectors.
As Pakistan continues to develop its energy infrastructure and other critical sectors, replicating the employment-driven model of the Sahiwal project can help achieve not just energy security but broad-based economic prosperity. Better employment prospects have contributed to social stability, reducing migration to urban centers and supporting community development in Sahiwal. In just a decade, the Sahiwal Coal-Fired Power Plant has proven that large infrastructure projects can be catalysts for employment and economic growth by creating thousands of jobs, promoting skills development, and boosting the local economy.
