ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani was briefed here on Friday on the projects relating to nuclear energy and satellite communication. The briefing was given by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Tariq Majeed, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and DG Strategic Planning Division at the PM House. The Prime Minister in principle gave approval to the satellite project and constituted a committee to work out modalities before a formal decision is taken on the purchase of nuclear energy plants and satellite communication system. Besides Premier Gilani the meeting was also attended by Minister for Defence Ahmed Mukhtar, Minister for Finance Naveed Qamar, Federal Secretaries and senior government officials. Agencies add: The country is suffering from acute power shortages, and officials say there is a power deficit of up to 4,000 megawatt. In recent months state-run utilities have switched off power for several hours a day across the country, though the situation improved towards the end of summer, as air conditioners are in less use. The statement did not give details of the nuclear power plants or satellite systems to be acquired by Pakistan. The committee that will work out modalities for the projects comprises the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Secretaries of Finance, Foreign Affairs and Water and Power; and the chief of the Strategic Plans Division. Pakistan's first nuclear power plant was set up with Canadian help in 1972 and has a capacity of 137 megawatts. The second nuclear power plant was built with the help of its long-time ally, China, in 1999 in Chashma, a town in the central Punjab. It has a generation capacity of 325 megawatts. China is helping Pakistan build a third plant near Chashma. Pakistan has previously asked the United States for a deal along the lines of one struck between the United States and rival India, that gives access to US know-how and technology to develop civil nuclear energy capacity.