LAHORE: The Punjab cabinet on Thursday unanimously approved the 1180-MW Bhikki, Sheikhupura, gas power plant project to be set up by the provincial government from its owns resources.

The cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was informed that the federal government was also setting up two gas-fired power plants of 1,200 megawatt each – at Haveli Bahadur Shah in Jhang and Balloki in Kasur.

Production of 363 megawatt electricity would start from single-cycle turbine in March and an equal volume of power would be added to the national grid with the second single turbine to become operational in April 2017.

The third turbine would start production in December 2017.

The chief minister said the turbines would have the latest technology and the project capacity would be 61.59 percent at a total cost of $539 million.

He said all matters relating to Bhikki project had been disposed of speedily and all issues had been settled with petroleum ministry with regard to uninterrupted supply of gas for the powerhouse.

Land acquisition for the project has been completed as work on it was started in March 2015.

The CM also constituted a committee to review Punjab Epidemic Diseases Control Amendment Bill 2014 and directed it to submit final recommendations within a few days.

Published in Dawn, October 9th, 2015

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