In the cold winter of 2026 in Beijing, the successive good news from the headquarters of China Electric Power Construction Corporation is warm and comforting. In just three days, this Chinese infrastructure giant signed three major engineering contracts in Iraq, Kazakhstan, and Laos in a lightning fast manner, with a total amount of 32.782 billion yuan, winning a good start to its international business expansion in the new year.

Million ton seawater desalination plant settled in Iraq

On January 14th, China Power Construction Corporation announced that its subsidiary, China Power Construction International Engineering Co., Ltd., signed a major contract with the government of Basra Province in Iraq for the Basra seawater desalination project, with a contract amount of approximately 17.193 billion yuan.

This project located in the Fa'ao area of Basra province can be called a "mega project": it will build a seawater desalination plant with a daily output of 1 million cubic meters, which is enough to solve the drinking water problem for millions of people; Construct a 240 kilometer long water pipeline, a main pump station, and nine receiving pump stations to form a complete water supply system; We will also build a self owned power station with a total installed capacity of 300MW to provide power support for the entire system.

The project duration is divided into a limited construction period of 6 months and a main construction period of 1350 days, with a defect liability period of 24 months. For Iraq, which has long faced freshwater shortages, this project is not only infrastructure, but also a lifeline project.

Building the first international standard rehabilitation center in Kazakhstan

Just the day before, on January 13th, China Power Construction Corporation had already disclosed two major contracts.

One of them is the EPC general contracting contract for the first phase of the construction project (East Zone) of the "Nurbalashak Zassel" multifunctional rehabilitation center in Kazakhstan, with a total amount of approximately 6.873 billion yuan. The project is located in Jiangbul District, Almaty Oblast, aiming to create Kazakhstan's first benchmark project that integrates international standard rehabilitation services with ecological smart cities.

The project will be developed in stages. The scope of work for the first phase of the contract includes public buildings, residential areas, landscapes, and infrastructure, covering the entire process of survey, design, procurement, and construction. The contract period is approximately 60 months. This is not only an infrastructure project, but also a health project that concerns people's livelihoods.

Laos 770MW hydropower station fully launched

On the same day, the EPC general contracting contract for the 770MW Balai hydropower project in Laos was also disclosed, with an amount of approximately 8.716 billion yuan. China Power Construction International Engineering Co., Ltd. and China Power Construction (Laos) Co., Ltd. will jointly build this giant hydropower station for Laos Palai Electric Power Co., Ltd.

The main content of the project includes the design and construction of a 770 MW hydropower station, using 14 55 MW bulb tubular units, supporting the construction of a booster station and a 500 kV transmission and transformation line. The contract period is about 84 months, and after completion, it will significantly enhance Laos' power supply capacity and may deliver clean energy to neighboring countries.

China's infrastructure strength is globally recognized

Three contracts, three continents, and three different types of projects - seawater desalination, rehabilitation centers, and hydropower stations - China Power Construction demonstrated the comprehensive and multi field strength of Chinese infrastructure enterprises within three days.

According to statistics, on January 13th and 14th alone, the total amount of orders disclosed by China Power Construction reached 32.782 billion yuan. These projects are not only huge in amount, but also strategically significant: the Iraq project addresses basic livelihood needs, the Kazakhstan project focuses on health and urban development, and the Laos project focuses on clean energy. Together, they constitute a new version of the map of China's infrastructure going to sea, showing the real development opportunities that Chinese enterprises have brought to countries along the the Belt and Road.

Industry analysts pointed out that the continuous signing of contracts by China Power Construction reflects the high trust of the international market in China's infrastructure technology, management, and execution capabilities. Especially in the current global economic environment, such a report card is commendable and has set a good start for Chinese companies' international business in 2026. Keywords: international news, infrastructure engineering information

With the gradual implementation of these projects, PowerChina will not only establish more benchmark projects overseas, but also bring employment opportunities, technology transfer, and economic development momentum to the countries where the projects are located, achieving true mutual benefit and win-win results.Editor/Yang Meiling