Shahbaz Sharif inaugurates Bhikki power plant , commended Ahad Cheema

Lahore : Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif unveiled the plaque to inaugurate the complete functioning of the 1180 Bhikki power plant. He also expressed his pleasure over the complete functioning of the project.

He visited the control room of the plant.

Speaking on the occasion, he said today is a historic day when 1180 MW of electricity is being added to the national grid from the Bhikki power plant, which is the modern plant running on the gas. It has produced 3.1 billion units of electricity since March 2017. It has been complete after transparent tendering and an amount of Rs 39 billion has been saved from this project. EPC cost of the Bhikki power plant is 466 dollar per kilowatt. It’s lowest cost gas-run power plant. Its record efficiency is 61.59 per cent.

Addressing the ceremony held in connection with the complete functioning of the Bhikki power plant, CM Shahbaz Sharif said load shedding is being eliminated with the efforts of the PML-N government and 10,000MW of electricity is being generated from the power plants installed by the PML-N government after the investment of the billions of rupees.

He said this plant has been made functional completely in the month of Ramazan and it has been completed with the investment of the Punjab government. He said electricity is being provided to the whole of Pakistan during Iftar, Sehrand Salatul Tarawihand it has been made possible due to blessings of Allah Almighty and day and night efforts of the PML-N.

He said we have made selfless efforts for the public service and record development and public welfare projects have been completed during the last five years. He said federal and Punjab governments have installed power projects from their own resources apart from CPEC. Bhilkki, Haveli Bahadur Shah and Baloki are the gas-run which are producing 3600MW of electricity. All projects have been completed with top speed and transparency. The then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has laid foundation stone of these projects and decision to install these projects was taken under his leadership and he had made me manager of these projects. Sahiwal coal power plant and Port Qasim coal power plants are producing 2700MW of electricity. Neelum-Jhelum project was running on snail’s movement for the last 20 years and first phase of this project has been completed with the efforts of the government of PML-N. The phase of Tarbela 4 has also been completed.

Similarly 400MW solar power plant has been completed in Bahawalpur and all projects have been completed transparently at the fast pace. The gas-run projects installed during the governments of Musharraf and Zardari has been completed by our government at the half cost. Eight years ago Guddu power plant was installed at the cost of eight lakh and 36 thousands dollars per MW, while Bhikki power has been installed at the cost four lakh and 66 thousands dollar per MW. Billions of rupees have been saved in all projects. Consumers are getting cheap electricity due to these projects. While Zardari pushed the country to darkness of load shedding, did huge corruption in power projects and now he is giving sermons against corruption.

He said all gas run power projects installed by Musharraf and Zardari governments were installed at the double cost and their performance was low. The performance turbines installed during their governments was 50, 52 and 54 per cent while performance of Bhikki power plant is 61.50 per cent, the performance of Haveli Bahadur Shah and Baloki is 62. 50 per cent. Modern machines have been used in these projects. The Punjab government is installing another power plant of1250MW capacity in Haveli Bahadur Shah and work in continuing on the project day and night. He said when efforts to overcome load shedding started under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif then sit-in started and first year was wasted due to sit-ins. Sit-in caused huge loss to the national economy and delayed power projects. The visit of Chinese president was also delayed due to sit-in and it was a crime and the people will never forgive them. All power projects would have been completed much earlier, had sit-in not started. The Khan Sahib has not paid attention to produce electricity in KPK where there are rivers, falls and springs. In an interview to a journalist, Khan Sahib had claimed that he will not only make KPK self-sufficient in electricity while he will produce electricity for whole of Pakistan.

During five years Khan Sahib installed a project of 80MW, while the previous government had installed a 74MW project and it was shut and it is still shut and in this way KPK has produced minus six MW. Those who tell lies and make baseless claims have no right to lead. He said the centre represents all four units and it has responsibility to install power projects.

However, Punjab government has installed projects from its own resources and it was not our responsibility. Whole of Pakistan is benefitting projects of the Punjab government. He said Singh government of Zardari had installed a power plant in Nooriabad which has not been able to produce electricity to its capacity and this project is producing 5 to 10 MW.

He said the PML-N government has completed 10,000MW power projects in the country in the record short time and the country has no example of this efficiency. All projects are best example of transparency and speed. He said he congratulates Nawaz Sharif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for the completion of all power projects. He said he requests all politicians of Pakistan, apex court, NAB and the nation that they should catch corruption wherever it takes place but they also praise good work wherever it is done because if good work is not praised then nobody will do it again. This is the only way to lead Pakistan forward. We will make Pakistan the country dreamed by Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal by acting upon these principles. He said the government of PML-N served the nation and it will continue doing it in the future.

After the inauguration of the complete functioning of the 1180 MW Bhikki power plant, Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif visited the control room and shook hands with the staff. CM Shahbaz Sharif was very emotional in the speech and he congratulated Nawaz Sharif, PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, federal energy minister Awais Ahmed Leghari, concerning secretaries of the Punjab, chief secretary, additional chief secretary, and other official over the complete functioning of the project. He also praised the performance of former Chief Executive Officer of Quaid-e-Azam Thermal Power Limited Ahad Cheema upon which the crowd gave a loud applause. He said he salutes all those who work for the development of the province.

He called an engineer supporting beard working on the Bhikki power plant to the stage and he praised him for his performance and said these are the people who worked day and night for the development of the province and I am proud of them. He said the completion of these projects is the result of team work. He read out couplets on the occasion.