[Let's Run Again K Construction] Stability in Pakistan's Power Supply with Gulfur Hydroelectric Power Plant... Praised Locally

DL E&C "Continued Expansion of Overseas Hydropower Projects"
Singapore Tuas Terminal Highly Rated for 'Eco-Friendly Design'

[Asia Economy Reporter Cha Wanyong] DL E&C is navigating the global market with advanced competitiveness in the power and energy sector. Recently, it held a completion ceremony for the Gulpur Hydroelectric Power Plant in Pakistan and commenced stable operations.

The Gulpur Hydroelectric Power Plant was constructed with a capacity of 102 MW approximately 167 km southeast of Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Under a BOOT (Build-Own-Operate-Transfer) contract, DL E&C holds the operating rights for 30 years. The project cost about 440 billion KRW.

Overview of the Gulpur Hydroelectric Power Plant in Pakistan.
[Photo by DL E&C]

Pakistan, which had been struggling with a severe power shortage, is now experiencing stable power supply since the full-scale operation of the Gulpur Hydroelectric Power Plant. The project has received widespread praise locally.

Pakistan’s local media outlet, The News International, recently reported, "The Gulpur Hydroelectric Power Plant has started providing clean and affordable energy," and introduced it as "the most perfect power plant operating in Pakistan, considering the high-quality materials and excellent finishing."

Additionally, Pakistan’s UrduPoint cited a statement from a senior government official, evaluating that “the Gulpur Hydroelectric Power Plant project significantly contributes to regional economic growth and is like a ‘Lifeline’ for Pakistan.”

Kwon Sooyoung, Head of DL E&C’s Civil Engineering Division, said, "Through the successful completion of the Gulpur Hydroelectric Power Plant in Pakistan, we have demonstrated our cutting-edge hydroelectric power plant construction capabilities overseas," and added, "We plan to continuously expand overseas hydroelectric power projects in line with the global carbon neutrality policy."

Moreover, DL E&C recently announced the completion of the first phase of the Tuas Terminal marine reclamation project in Singapore, the world’s largest port, which is 1.5 times the size of Yeouido. In this project, with a total construction cost of about 1.98 trillion KRW, DL E&C was responsible for ground improvement of the reclamation site, production and installation of caissons for the port quay wall, and construction of wharf facilities. DL E&C’s share amounts to approximately 720 billion KRW.

DL E&C received high praise for its eco-friendly design minimizing the use of rock and sand from the bidding stage. To reduce sand usage, dredged soil generated during seabed excavation was maximally utilized for reclamation. From the design phase, the latest soil theories were studied and safety was thoroughly reviewed. As a result, about 6.4 million cubic meters of sand were saved compared to conventional reclamation methods. This amount corresponds to one-eighth of Namsan Mountain in Seoul (approximately 50 million cubic meters).

Furthermore, instead of the conventional ‘scour protection structure design’ that places large rocks on the seabed, an innovative method was applied by replacing rocks with concrete structures. Scour protection structures prevent the ground beneath structures from being eroded and collapsing due to waves or water flow. To obtain client approval, DL E&C produced a 1:50 scale model during the design phase and verified the structure by applying the propeller scour force of large vessels. This proved the safety and saved the use of 800,000 cubic meters of large rocks. DL E&C completed this process in 29 months, shortening the schedule from 36 months to 7 months.