With the National Power Policy 2013, generation of electricity from affordable energy resources has been made viable
LAHORE: The ongoing energy crisis in Pakistan has gradually worsened during the last decade. The provision of electricity is essential for the socioeconomic development of Pakistan. With the promulgation of the National Power Policy 2013, the generation of electricity from affordable energy resources has been made viable. To meet the energy needs of the country, especially those of Punjab, the PML-N government is leaving no stone unturned to fast-track the development of electricity-generation projects, like the Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park, Sahiwal Coal Fired Power Plant and now the Bhikki Gas Turbine Power Plant. These projects, undertaken by the government of Punjab, shows its firm resolve to put the economy on the right track by overcoming the energy crisis in the country. The gas-fired power plant of 1,180 megawatts in Bhikki, Sheikhupura, will, no doubt, be a harbinger of prosperity for the area. For energy-starved Pakistan, this is much needed.
This gas turbine power project is the biggest project of its kind in the country’s history and the Punjab government has taken the lead by initiating it. It is a good omen that the single cycle turbine will start producing 363 megawatts of electricity by March 2017, and along with the operation of a second single turbine by April 2017, another 363 megawatts will be added to the national grid. Moreover, a total of 1,180 megawatts will be available through a combined stream gas turbine by December 2017 in Sheikhupura district. This can prove to be crucial for the prosperity of Pakistan. In addition, many power-generating units being installed in different areas of the country will start yielding thousands of megawatts of electricity under the umbrella of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. Darkness will eventually vanish from the country and our future generations will live in a brighter Pakistan.
Syed Ali Qasim
Published in The Express Tribune, October 18th, 2015.
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