The government has decided to optimally utilize indigenous sources of energy instead of relying on expensive imported fuel for generation of electricity. 

This was stated by Minister for Power Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan while addressing a news conference in Islamabad on Wednesday.                                  

He said shifting the entire electricity generation on indigenous sources will lessen burden on national exchequer and provide cheap electricity to consumers. 

The Minister for Power said the indigenous sources of energy in Pakistan are solar, wind, hydel, coal and nuclear which are not only cost effective but also environment friendly.

He said bidding of a 600 megawatt pilot solar project is being completed today which will determine the cost of these projects and then through these sources, eleven thousand megawatts electricity will be added to the national grid in the coming years.

Khurram Dastgir Khan said the government has also planned to initiate solar power projects in rural areas while the government will install solar system at buildings and agricultural tube wells will also be solarized.                   

He said currently the government is working on a number of power projects which will add two thousand megawatts electricity to the national grid by next year.

The Minister for Power said a 1320 megawatt Shanghai Thar coal power project will be completed by the end of this year.

Source: Radio Pakistan