The Punjab chief minister has predicted Sahiwal's coal power plant to get completed by 2017 and also the gas-based power plants in Haveli Bahadur Shah, Bhikhi and Baloki of a total of 3,600 megawatts of electricity are now working already. The under-construction Sahiwal's project, 15 kilometres to the north-east of Sahiwal, will consist of two 660 megawatt plants for a combined capacity of 1,320 megawatts in the first phase, and is to be followed by a possible second phase which will include two 1,000-megawatt plants.
The power topic came as Shahbaz Sharif talked to the governing party's elected representatives on Monday. He told his audience, "These power projects will be completed in 2017-18 and will greatly help overcome power outages. The Pakistan Muslim League government, led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, is taking effective measures to rid the country of the power-cuts."
He also claimed his government was setting up a gas-based power plant of 1,180 megawatts at Bhikhi in Sheikhupura, with its own resources while his federal counterpart was working on power plants to be operated with gas in Baloki and Haveli Bahadur Shah. "The completion of these projects, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, will help us tackle the energy crisis. With the implementation of 3,600-megawatt gas-based projects being set up in the Punjab, up to Rs 110 billion of the poor have been saved which is unprecedented in the country's history. The work is being carried out round the clock to remove darkness and terrorism from the country and the whole nation is the witness to this fact," he claimed. He then talked about working on the power projects in various areas, including the Port Qasim and Thar.
He said, "The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor's projects will bring about an economic stability and prosperity throughout the region, including Pakistan. This great project is for the whole nation of Pakistan and by helping Pakistan at this critical time, China has proved that it is a reliable and sincere friend of Pakistan. No effort will be spared for the project completion and allowed to create hurdles in this great project of national interest."