Power crisis: CM sees wind energy potential in south Punjab

LAHORE: There are vast opportunities for producing wind energy in south Punjab, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Monday.

He was talking to a delegation of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). “There are vast opportunities of generating power using wind energy in south Punjab. Sites have been selected for setting up power plants,” he said.

He said that agreements had been signed between the Punjab government and businesses from China and Denmark for setting up power projects to generate 2,320 megawatts in south Punjab.

He said under the agreement signed between the Punjab government and Denmark, Danish company Vestas would set up four wind power plants of 250 megawatts each in Rajanpur. “Chinese company Hauneng Shandong will set up two coal power plants of 660 megawatts each in Rahim Yar Khan,” he said. The chief minister said that the economy had improved due to government policies. “Pakistan is safer and more developed than it was in 2013. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan will become economically stronger,” he said.

He said the country had faced problems due to the wrong policies of the earlier governments. “People have rejected those creating hurdles in the way of development and prosperity of the country. They had pushed the country into darkness,” the CM said.

The chief minister said the government was carrying out work on a number of energy projects. He said that foundation-stones of gas-based power plants had been laid in Haveli Bahadar Shah in Jhang, Bheki and Balloki in Sheikhupura. “Work is continuing speedily on Sahiwal coal power plant. A total of 1,320 megawatts electric power will be generated from the coal plants. This project will be completed in 2017,” he said.

“With the setting up new energy projects, economic activities will increase.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2016.