Pakistan to generate 50,000 MW power

Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif declared that the government has made a 25-year long-term plan to generate 50, 000 MW power to end the energy crisis in the country and meet Pakistan's future needs, said an official press release. The prime minister addressed a briefing of a USD 0.6 billion Pakistan Power Park to generate 660 MW electricity at Gadani area and said that a range of measures were being taken to address the power crisis in the country. According to the press release, the prime minister termed it a critical project for Pakistan saying that it would also help generate employment for the people of Sindh and Balochistan provinces. He further said that a similar Power Park need to be set up at Thar that has huge reservoirs of coal and the government has settled the USD 0.48 billion circular debt issue. Mr. Nawaz informed that the country was able to generate 1700 MW of additional power after this payment and managed to generate record 16,170 MW of electricity, the shortfall had declined to 3000 MW while the demand was 19,000 MW. During the briefing the prime minister was informed that the Power Park project would comprise eight projects of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and generate 660 MWs. The Prime Minister said his government was committed to serve the masses and vowed that it would not hide anything from the people of Pakistan, the press release added. Chief Ministers of Sindh and Balochistan provinces accompanied the Prime Minister.