ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has expressed that the ongoing power projects started by the government would not only eradicate load shedding but would also result in surplus energy.
The Premier chaired a high-level meeting to review progress on various energy-related projects at PM House this morning.
He said the tireless efforts of the present government are not only restricted to end power shortages from the country by 2018 but the long term plans of the government include production of more than 30, 000 MWs of electricity by 2022.
PM Nawaz said that getting rid of power shortages was essential for realising the huge economic potential of the country, which was unfortunately ignored by the successive governments in last 15 years.
“Never in the history of Pakistan have there been such huge investments made for production of electricity aiming to fulfil our needs and also cater for the projected demands in the future,” PM Nawaz said.
He expressed that he was personally monitoring the progress on energy projects in the country for timely completion.
“Our energy plan is the centrepiece of our economic vision and no laxity in the execution and completion of energy projects could be tolerated,” emphasised the Prime Minister.
It was mentioned earlier that around 10, 996 MW of power would be added to the national grid by March 2018 against an expected generation shortfall of 7,000 to 8,000 MW, estimated for 2017-18.
The participants were told that work on improving the transmission system was going on in all parts of the country under the supervision of Ministry of Water & Power.
“The system augmentation work for carrying the additional capacity will be completed by the end of 2017, which will make the country’s 90 % transmission system constraint-free,” said a statement.
Federal Minister for Finance Mr. Ishaq Dar, Minister for Panning, Development & Reform Mr Ahsan Iqbal, Minister for Water & Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif and Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, SAPM Mr. Tariq Fatemi and other senior officials of the government attended the meeting.
