islamabad
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has congratulated his energy and economic team on obtaining approval of the Chinese government for installation of some 14 projects which would generate 10,400MW electricity.
The Prime Minister said that this gesture of the Chinese government manifests the deep cordial relations the country has with Pakistan as well as showing the confidence of the international community in the policies of government.
These projects would be started immediately and put into operation by the year 2017-18. In addition, there are few other power generation projects totaling to 6445 MW, which would be completed in the second phase on fast track basis.
The Prime Minister was pleased to note that the MoUs Pakistan had signed with China in the recent past are now being translated into on-ground projects. He expressed the confidence that this massive addition to the power sector of the country would prove immensely beneficial in overcoming electricity shortage.
He said this is part of the government’s energy road map, which aims at ensuring provision of cost effective electricity to the masses. He said these are the fruits of democracy, which have started to reach the people.
He said, “Our desire and focus is on removing unemployment, eliminating power shortage and bringing economic prosperity and we will stay the course.”  The projects, which would be commissioned during 2017-18 included;  Port Qasim (Coal Fired) with the capacity of 1320 MW,  Sukki Kanari (Hydropower) 870 MW,  Sahiwal (Coal Fired) 320 MW, Engro Thar (Coal Fired-Mining of Block 2) 660 MW, Muzafargarh (Coal Fired) 1320 MW, Gwadar (Coal Fired) 300 MW, Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park (Cholistan) 1000 MW, United Energy (Wind power, Karachi) 100 MW, Dawood (Wind power, Karachi) 50 MW, Sachal (Wind power) 50 MW, Sunnec (Wind power) 50 MW, Rahimyar Khan (Coal fired) 1320 MW, SSRL Thar (Coal fired) 1320 MW and Karot (Hydropower) with the optimal capacity of 720 MW.