Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal has directed the Ministry for Maritime Affairs' Power Division, the Gwadar Port Authority (GPA), and China Overseas Ports Holding Company Ltd. (COPHCL) to ensure that all the power produced by the 300 MW coal-fired power project at Gwadar is utilised.

This would reduce financial loss to the national exchequer, he said while chairing a meeting to assess the progress of the 300 MW coal-fired power project. The meeting was attended by Chairman of COPHCL Zhang Baozhong, Chairman of GPA Pasand Khan Buledi, and other important players.

The project, which would benefit around 150,000 locals, was planned in 2016, as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The project's goal is to increase the local power supply's dependability in order to progressively address the issues hampering the region of Gwadar's economic growth and urban development.

Earlier, the minister instructed COPHCL to provide a 10-year plan for energy consumption by the Gwadar Free Zone Company. The minister also gave the Power Division instructions to examine the project and remove obstacles to meet the commercial operation date in January 2025.

All significant CPEC projects in Gwadar, such as the Gwadar Power Plant, the New Gwadar International Airport Project, the China-Pak Friendship Hospital, the China-Pak Technical and Vocational Institute in Gwadar, the Gwadar East-bay Expressway Project, the Gwadar Free Zone, and the Gwadar Port, are noted as having the potential to become shining regional pearls.

According to Ahsan Iqbal, the government is already constructing two transmission lines from Iran, which would boost demand for power. He said that since taking office in April last year, the current administration has restarted every CPEC project that the previous administration put on hold. The recent Joint Cooperation Committee is one instance where both parties have decided to relaunch various development projects, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said. He also informed his Chinese partners that CPEC is the current government's top priority.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk