Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the 1223 megawatt gas-fired power plant under construction at Baloke on Wednesday. He inspected various sections of the construction site and lauded the speed of work on the project.
After inspection of the plant, the chief minister while talking to the media said that the 3600 megawatt gas power plants at Baloke, Haveli Bahadur Shah, and Bhikki will be completed within 27 months whereas in the past, such projects were not completed even in 60 months.
He said that it will be record for Pakistan that a project will be completed within the stipulated period without any additional expenditure. He said that Guddu power plant was completed in 60 months but Baloke gas power plant will be completed in a record period of 27 months and that the work being carried out on the Baloke gas power plant is unprecedented.
The chief minister said that first turbine will become operational in July, and the second in August, resulting in 750 megawatts of electricity being added to the national grid, which will be increased by January 2018to 1223 megawatts.
Shehbaz Sharif said that soon surplus electricity will be available for agriculture, industries, education, health and other sectors. “Energy projects are being executed under the CPEC and work is being carried out speedily on the 1320-megawatt Sahiwal Coal Power Project which will be completed in June 2017,” he said.
The chief minister said that more than three thousand engineers and workers are working at the power plant and that load shedding would decrease by two hours when the power plant becomes operational.
“Seven billion rupees will be saved annually under the head of fuel and cheap electricity will be provided to the consumers,” the CM said.
He said that electricity needs of four lakh families will be fulfilled with the installation of the Baloki powerplant.
Project Chief Executive Officer Rashid Mahmood Langrial apprised the chief minister about the progress of the project and gave a briefing in this regard. Provincial Minister for Industries Sheikh Alauddin, MPAs and other officials were also present on the occasion.
