Power projects must be fast-tracked on top priority: PM

Premier was addressing 9th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that power projects in the country must be ‘fast-tracked’ on top priority to provide relief to people at the earliest.

The premier was addressing the 9th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCE) at the Prime Minister House.

Nawaz said that Pakistan is tapping all energy resources to increase power generation at affordable rates. Further, the premier also directed the committee that steps be taken on the early start of the 1680 km Turkmenistan-Afghanistan- Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline.

He also called for a timeline of the power situation for both short and long terms to be presented to the committee and strictly followed.

The committee gave approval for starting negotiations with Malaysia, China, Algeria, Nigeria, and Trinidad for import of LNG. Negotiations in this regard are already under way with Qatar.

Further, it was decided that an improved mechanism would be devised for LNG payments on a regular basis to avoid any complications.

The CCE also approved government-to-government negotiations with Russia, Qatar and China for the construction of the North-South gas pipeline. This 42-inch pipeline will be laid along the new alignment of N-5.

Nawaz was informed that negotiations are under way with Iran but due to international sanctions on the country, the import of electricity from Iran would not be possible in the short term.

Furthermore, the CCE also gave approval to include the Gwadar-Nawabshah gas pipeline into the Early Harvest Program of China Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Ministers for Water and Power and Petroleum and Natural Resources briefed the committee on setting up 3600MW power generation plant based on Regassified LNG. The committee was informed that the LNG terminal at Port Qasim would be completed next month.