Energy meeting: Up to 5 power projects face delays, Nawaz told

PM briefed about the status of ongoing projects in different parts of the country

ISLAMABAD: Up to five under-construction power projects are expected to be delayed by four months, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was told at a meeting held to review the progress on the ongoing projects, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Nawaz was briefed about the status of ongoing projects in various parts of the country and the likely availability of power in the coming months. He was also apprised of the completion timelines of coal and gas based projects.

The sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune that Nandipur power project will be fully operational till April next year — capacity of this project is 425MW.

The prime minister, while inaugurating the first turbine of Nandipur Project in May, 2014, had announced that the project will be fully operational till the end of year. However, it is expected to experience a delay of four months.

Sources further informed that another ongoing power project, Chashma-IV of 400MW capacity, will become operational next year. Fauji Foundation Wind Project, having a capacity of 50MW, in Sindh will become functional next year, they added.

Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in Bahawalpur, which was scheduled to produce 100 MW at the end of 2014, will only be able to generate 50MW by the coming year, said sources, adding that the total capacity of Solar Park is 1,000MW.

Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif, Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi also attended the meeting. The participants also discussed the progress of ongoing projects, like two projects at Port Qasim having power generating capacity of 1,320MW and a coal-fired power project in Sahiwal having the same capacity. The prime minister was also briefed about the newly approved Gwadar-Nawabshah LNG terminal.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3^rd, 2014.