On August 12, local time, the Pakistani Tarbela 5 Hydropower Extension Project, in which HEI is involved, held a groundbreaking ceremony in Tarbela of KPK Province, marking the start of the extension of the Tarbela 5 Hydropower, the largest and most important hydropower plant in Pakistan.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan attended the ceremony and delivered a speech. The Speaker of the National Assembly, the Federal Minister, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, WAPDA and HEI officials also attended the ceremony.

 Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the construction of the project will create 3,000 jobs, and the power generation capacity of the Tarbela Hydropower Project will increase from 4,888 MW to 6,418 MW after the completion of phase 5. In addition, the project also plays an important role in meeting the country’s needs for water, food, and energy, and can sustainably supply irrigation water.

Located to the northwest of Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, the Tarbela project is Pakistan’s largest and most important power supply base, producing one-third of Pakistan's whole power generation. It is widely known as the "Three Gorges of Pakistan", which is used for irrigation, power generation, and flood control.