Sahiwal power plant will be operational next year, says CM

"The Sahiwal plant will produce 1,320 megawatt. 900MW will be produced by Neelam-Jhelum Hydropower Project," says CM

LAHORE: “Nearly 60 per cent work on the coal-powered Sahiwal plant has been completed. It will start generating electricity in the middle of the next year,” Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Thursday.

He was speaking to the media during a visit to the 1,320-megawatt power plant site.

Sharif said work on the project had started in July last year and that it would be completed in record time of 23 months. “Such projects are [usually] completed in four to five years across the world,” he said. “Work is underway round the clock. Hopefully, it will start generating electricity in the middle of next year.”

The chief minister said the project, a joint venture of Chinese companies and the Punjab government, would benefit the common man.



Sharif said the Sahiwal power project was bigger than the Neelam-Jhelum Hydropower Project. He said the Sahiwal plant would produce 1,320 megawatt compared to 900 by the Neelam-Jhelum scheme. He accused previous government leaders of corruption in the Neelam-Jhelum Hydropower Project.

The chief minister said baseless propaganda was being waged regarding China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects in the Punjab. He said that under the CPEC, a $36 billion investment was being made in power projects across Pakistan. Of the $36 billion, $11 billion was being spent on energy projects in Sindh and $6.5 billion on similar schemes in the Punjab, he said.

Sharif said work was under way on CPEC projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and and Balochistan.



He said that during the previous government, the equipment for the Nandipur Power Project had been lying at the Karachi port for three years causing a loss of billions of rupees.

The chief minister said it would be a national tragedy if development was marred by sit-ins and protest demonstrations. He appealed to leaders of all political parties to let the government and people do their work.

Sharif said those who had apprehensions in this regard could discuss them in parliament or approach the Supreme Court or the Election Commission of Pakistan to raise their concerns. “Serious issues are not resolved through protest demonstrations,” he said.

Earlier, Chinese engineers and experts briefed the Chief Minister about the progress on the project. National Energy Administration of China Vice Administrator Li Fanrog and Chinese Consul General Yu Borne were also present on the occasion.

Pakistan-Denmark ties

Denmark’s Ambassador to Pakistan Ole Thonke called on the chief minister on Thursday and discussed matters of mutual interest.

Sharif stressed the need for further promoting ties with Denmark in trade, economic and social sectors. He said the Wind Power Energy Company of Denmark was working on a project in the Punjab to generate wind electricity.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2016.