Shehbaz Sharif, while speaking to a delegation of the Chinese National Energy Administration in Beijing, said that Punjab is the biggest province of Pakistan in regards to population and is, ultimately, the largest consumer of electricity. He said that the Punjab government took immediate steps and made significant efforts for electricity production to fill the gap between demand and supply of energy in the province. He said that work is being carried out on energy generation projects that may produce electricity through coal, gas, solar, hydro or wind in the province and that a conducive atmosphere for foreign investment in the energy sector has also been created there.
Shehbaz Sharif said that the interest of local and international investors in the energy sector of the province has increased which has resulted in an unprecedented increase in energy sector projects. He said that these projects are being forwarded to the IPPs and Public Power Projects. The chief minister said that under CPEC, projects are also being established on a priority basis in Punjab. He said that 1320-Megawatt Sahiwal Coal Power Plant has already been completed and has started producing electricity while other projects including 660-Megawatt Muzaffargarh Power Plant, 1320-Megawatt Coal Power Plant Rahim Yar Khan and 660-Megawatt Coal Power Plant and 1000-Megawatt Solar Power Plant at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur will also add energy to the national grid.
The CM said that the Punjab government has also launched off-grid solar power solutions to provide immediate relief to the people of the province.
Shehbaz Sharif said that under the Ujala Programme, solar homes are being provided to the houses deprived of electricity and that the production of solar energy is being promoted in the government institutions.
He said that a programme has evolved for illuminating 20 thousand schools that are without electricity, through solar panels. Also, solar panels are being installed in the basic health centers that are without electricity.
The CM said that investment in energy sector through National Energy Administration China will be welcomed. He said that all out steps are being taken for the elimination of energy crisis and that the energy projects are being completed speedily through round the clock work.