Silk Road Journey Xinjiang.

Silk Road Journey Xinjiang: Upgrading electricity

Pakistan has been for decades beleaguered by a lack of electricity. Some rural areas often experience power cuts during summer.

But since the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was established in 2014, the power crisis has eased. CPEC has brought in numerous energy projects since last year.

CPEC encompasses a 3,000-kilometer network of economic lines connecting southern Pakistan's Gwadar Port with Kashgar city in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It was first proposed by Premier Li Keqiang during his visit to Pakistan in May 2013.

The economic corridor is seen as a flagship project of Chinese President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative. The Chinese government hopes that it will play an important role on boosting multilateral cooperation, especially among Central and West Asian countries.

Xinjiang's main grid frame is being upgraded to 750kV from 220kV, said Zhao Zhiqiang, a planning director from China’s State Grid Xinjiang Company.

The main grid’s electrical capacity will reach 250 billion kilowatt-hours in 2020, Zhao added.