At 4:00 p.m. local time on October 12, the first main girder of the 650-ton overhead crane in the main powerhouse of the Tarbela 5th Hydropower Extension Project in Pakistan—undertaken by Harbin Electric International Co., Ltd. (HEI)—was successfully hoisted into place. This milestone marks the transition of the project’s electromechanical installation into full-scale construction and signifies substantial progress in overall project execution.

The main powerhouse is equipped with two overhead cranes, each with a lifting capacity of 650 tons. Each main girder measures 24.5 meters in length and weighs 75 tons, making it a piece of large-scale heavy lifting equipment. Despite challenges such as steep mountain roads and limited transfer space, the project team actively implemented the “Thunder Action” campaign of Harbin Electric Corporation and HEI on production safety. During the hoisting process, the team carried out meticulous planning and coordination, made well-organized construction arrangements, and completed safety preparations in advance for heavy-load transportation and high-altitude operations. Working closely with the crane manufacturer and the supervision unit, the team conducted a rigorous review of the hoisting plan, ensuring that quality and safety requirements were met at every stage of the lifting operation. As a result, the installation of the first main girder of the No. 1 powerhouse overhead crane was successfully completed, earning high praise from both the owner and the supervision team. At present, the project team is actively proceeding with the installation of the second main girder and the assembly of the other 650-ton overhead crane, laying a solid foundation for subsequent electromechanical works.

Tarbela 5th Hydropower Extension Project has a total installed capacity of 1,530 MW, comprising three hydroelectric generating units, each with a capacity of 510 MW. These are currently the largest single-unit hydropower generators ever exported by China. The project holds great significance for Harbin Electric Corporation and HEI in expanding their presence in the global hydropower market.