A delegation of General Electric Company led by its Chief Executive Officer Steve Bolze met Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday to discuss gas-based energy projects in the province.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that strenuous efforts had been made to give practical shape to gas power projects in the province and under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, all matters relating to these projects had been finalised in a speedy and transparent manner.
He said that completion of gas-based power projects would result in availability of cheap electricity to the people of the country. He said that foundation stone of two gas power projects had been laid and after Bhikki and Haveli Bahadur Shah, the foundation stone of gas power plant at Baloki will also be laid soon.
He said that a total of 3,600MW electricity would be added to the national grid with the completion of these three projects. He said that energy projects being set up in Punjab would benefit the whole country. He said that gas-based power projects would prove game changer in energy sector.
Sharif said that besides ensuring transparency and high standard in the execution of these projects, a an amount of Rs 110 billion of public money had also been saved. He said that Punjab government was setting up a gas-based power plant in Bhikki, Sheikhupura with the provincial resources while federal government was establishing power plants at Haveli Bahadur Shah and Baloki.
He said that transparency in the bidding process for the projects was unprecedented in the history of the country. He said that gas power plants would be completed by the end of 2017.
The chief minister further said that latest turbine technology was being used for the gas power plants which was highly efficient and would be a trendsetter for energy projects. Sharif further said that tireless efforts made by Pakistan Muslim League-N government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during the last two years were bearing fruit.
Referring to solar project, the chief minister said that Punjab government had completed a 100MW solar power plant at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in a highly transparent manner and achieved the rate of 14 cents per unit. He said that in view of this rate of the Punjab government, the concerned federal department was also forced to fix solar power rate at 14.1 cent per unit. He said that under the leadership of the prime minister, gas power plants were being set up in Punjab at half the rates compared to the past and that these plants would consume less fuel and produce more electricity.
General Electric Company Chief Executive Officer Steve Bolze praised the Punjab government for speedy and transparent work on power projects as well as the Metro Bus project.
