RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has said that the Punjab government has also decided to set up small coal power plants for generating energy.

He said that these power plants would be set up near industrial load centres and the process of identifying sites has been completed for establishing small coal power plants in the province. He was presiding over a high level meeting here on Sunday which discussed in detail various proposals with regard to setting up small coal power plants in the province.

Addressing the meeting, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that the elimination of energy crisis was vital for keeping the wheel of industries moving on, overcoming problems of unemployment and poverty.

He said that ridding the people of loadshedding and bringing the country out of darkness was our mission. The Chief Minister said that the government was implementing energy projects without wasting time and all possible steps were being taken for controlling energy crisis at the earliest.

He disclosed that planning has been made for setting up small coal power plants near load centres in seven big cities of Punjab including Lahore. Shahbaz Sharif said that besides Lahore, small power plants of 55x2 megawatt running through coal would be set up in Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat and Multan. He said that the process of identifying sites for establishing four small coal power plants of 55x2 megawatt in Lahore had been completed.

The Chief Minister said that small coal power plants were being set up in Sundar Industrial Estate Lahore and M-3 Industrial Estate Faisalabad. He said that due to this step of the Punjab government, 1100 megawatt electricity would be generated in next 20 months. He directed all institutions concerned to carry out work for speedy implementation of small coal power plants and ensure best coordination so that these projects could be furthered without any delay. Shahbaz Sharif directed that coal yards would have to be constructed for storing the coal for these projects in Punjab and concerned officials should take immediate steps in this regard.

Additional Chief Secretary Energy Jehanzeb Khan gave a detailed briefing with regard to small coal power plants. Chief Secretary, Senior Member Board of Revenue, Chairman Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park and concerned officials attended the meeting.