GUDDU: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Monday thatlong hours ofloadshedding which people had beenfacingfor10 yearshad also seriously undermined the country`s progress in all areas.

Addressing a gathering here after inaugurating two units of 243MW each at the Guddu thermal power plant, he said the government was trying to enhance efficiency of the existing power plants, expedite work on ongoing projects and set up new plants under the public-private partnership to overcome the energy crisis. He expressed the hope that with sustained efforts the problem of loadshedding would soon be over.

He said a third unit would be oper ational in May which would increase the current capacity of the Guddu power plant from 1,655MW to 2,402MW. He said the three units were part of the combined cycle plant and would add another 747MW to the national grid.

He said early completion of the project, seven months ahead of schedule, had saved Rs58.6 billion which was almost equal to the amount spent on the project.

The prime minister regretted that slow pace of work on projects in the past had hampered progress but hoped that measures being taken by the government would bring about a positive change. A number of power projects are under way and efforts are being made to add 21,000MW to the na-tional grid over the next eight years.

He prised China`s Harbin Electric International Company for completing the Guddu project ahead of deadline. Pakistan and China are jointly working on several power projects and the latter promised investment of billions of dollars in the power sector.

Mr Sharif also praised the water and power ministry, GENCO Holding Company and Central Power Generation Company of for fast-tracking the project.

He said he and Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah would soon inaugurate work on Lahore-Karachi motorway.

He said his government had cleared Rs500 billion of circular debt and given incentives to independent power producers.

He said 6,600MW would be generated at the Gadani Power Park with the assistance of local and foreign investors. A coal-fired plant of 1,320MW is being set up in Jamshoro with the help of the Asian Development Bank and feasibility report is under way for similar plants in Lakhra, Port Qasim and Thar.

He said work on 1,410 MW extension-IV and 1,320 MW extension-V at Tarbela and 4,500 MW at Diamer-Bhasha dams had been initiated. The private sector is investing in power projects at Soki Kinari, Karot and Kohala.

The prime minister announced three months bonus for workers of GPCC and GPCL.

The event was also attended by Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid, Water and Power Minister Khawaja Asif and Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali.-APP