350mw solar power project to be completed by year end: CM

LAHORE
CHIEF Minister Shahbaz Sharif has said that energy projects are being speedily implemented for overcoming the energy crisis and a strategy has been evolved under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the completion of power projects and it is hoped that 350 megawatt solar power project would be completed by the end of current year. He was talking to senior officials of a Chinese energy company, here Friday. Matters regarding setting up of energy projects especially gas-based powerhouses were discussed in the meeting.
The Chinese delegation assured all-out cooperation in energy sector.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that special incentives were being given to investors for projects in energy sector and besides traditional methods, efforts were being made for generation of electricity from alternative sources. He said work was also being carried out on the projects of energy generation through coal, gas, hydle, solar, biogas, biomass, wind and other sources.
He said that planning had been made for the production of 3,600 megawatt electricity through gas and the provincial government would set up 1,200 megawatt gas-based energy projects in Bhikhi, Sheikhupura with its own resources while the federal government would establish 2,400 megawatt gas-based powerhouses in the province.
The chief minister said that work was being carried out speedily on 1,320 megawatt coal power plant in Sahiwal with the cooperation of China and this project would start electricity production by the end of 2017. Similarly, he said, the Punjab government had completed within a record period a solar project of 100 megawatt in Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur with its own resources and its production had been added to the national grid and work was being carried out on 900 megawatt solar power plant. He said it was hoped that 350 megawatt solar project would be completed by the end of current year.
Senior officials of Chinese company associated with energy sector while speaking on the occasion assured that they would extend all-out cooperation to the government in energy sector.