Tackling chronic crisis: Punjab’s first coal-fired projects inaugurated

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (C) along with Punjab Chief Minister (L) pull the string to reveal the plaque for the Shahiwal coal-fired plant on Friday. PHOTO: PID

LAHORE: 

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday inaugurated two 660-megawatt coal-fired power projects – the first of its kind in Punjab – having a capacity of 1,320MW in Qadirabad, Sahiwal. The project, which will be completed by 2016, will not only help meet the country’s electricity demand but also create employment for the people of Sahiwal district and contribute to the GDP.  

“We chalked out the plan for this project in just two months ago. The Punjab government and Chinese companies have undertaken the development work at such a fast pace,” he said, voicing hope the project would bring 30 per cent returns to the investors.

“This is the third coal-based power project that my government has inaugurated in the last few months and I am going to inaugurate the Nandipur project [on Saturday],” the premier confidently added.

PM Nawaz regretted that despite the 23,000MW installed capacity in the country, the operational capacity was only around 13,000MW. He promised that in next eight to 10 years, his government would double the power generation.

He also highlighted the importance of the Karachi-Lahore Motorway, which will also pass through Sahiwal and apprised the audience that it will usher in an era of economic development in the city. He said that Rs55 billion have been allocated for the acquisition of land for the motorway.

The prime minister thanked the government of China for its role in assisting infrastructural and energy projects. “The Pak-China corridor will be a game changer in the region. The corridor is a 2,700-kilometre highway that stretches from Kashghar to Gwadar through Khunjrab. We are also considering building a special economic zone along the trade corridor that will lead to the industrial development in the whole country.”

The economic trade corridor comprises 10 coal power projects in Gaddani, 10 coal power projects in Thar and six power projects in Punjab. “I dreamt to transform Gwadar into a port on the lines of Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong,” Nawaz emphasised.

He also listed the recent energy projects initiated by the government like Dasu and Diamer-Bhasha, each having a capacity of 4,500MW, and the 1,320MW power plant in Jamshoro. With all these projects, 21,000MW of electricity will be added to the national grid in the next eight to 10 years, he said.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said darkness will be eliminated from the country under the present government and more coal power plants of this kind will be established in the province.

Work is being carried out on hydel, solar and coal-based power projects as part of PM Nawaz’s strategy for resolving the energy crisis.

In a meeting of the Joint Economic Commission of China and Pakistan held on February 19 in Beijing, it was agreed that power projects with the capacity of 20,000 MW will be set up in Pakistan during the next seven years. The chief minister said that he will personally visit Sahiwal twice a month to review the pace of the project.