Secretary Ministry of Water and Power, Younus Dagha Thursday informed by end October that 1,180MW RLNG-fired Bhikki Power Plant will start test production from next month.
Dagha said that the coal power plants will produce power only through the locally produced coal and issues of power consignment will be resolved before summer 2018.
He stated this during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Water and Power that held here with Arshad Khan Leghari in the chair.
He told the meeting the government will build Bhasha dam with its own resources, adding that the government has so far spent over Rs101 billion on the project.
He said that technical work will be completed by next year and first phase of dam will be completed in the next seven years, adding in next phase, power production will be started.
To a question raised by MNA Syed Ghulam Mustafa Shah, he said the government is trying to run all coal power plants through locally produced coal.
Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali briefly apprised the committee about different power projects of (Hydel, Solar, Wind, Coal, etc) which were initiated by the present government to overcome the electricity shortfall.
Replying a question, Abid Sher Ali rejected the impression that there was any obstacle from the federal government in installing power grid stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, and instead accused the provincial of creating obstacles in installation of grid stations in Chakdra for over last two years.
Managing Director National Transmission and Dispatch Company Dr Fiaz Chaudhry briefed the panel about projects of power consignment from the Company. He said that power production will be enhanced from 22,882 MW to 34,090 MW in next three years.
The committee was briefly apprised by CEO Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) about different projects to enhance the production of electricity.
However, the committee expressed satisfaction over the ongoing projects and directed the ministry to ensure timely completion of the projects to overcome the electricity shortfall.
The committee appreciated the efforts made by National Transmission Dispatch Company (NTDC) for commissioning different projects and improving infrastructure which would be helpful in increasing the production of electricity from 22882 MW to 34,090 MW by end of 2018. The committee directed the ministry to focus on FATA by initiating different power projects.
