ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The federal government has launched several hydel, solar and wind energy projects in a bid to overcome energy crisis and provide relief to people, the official sources said.
In a statement, the official sources said that steps are also being taken to control power theft and replace old and obsolete power transmission lines to avoid line losses.
The sources said that $13 billion will be spent on power generation through alternative sources. They said that 3600 megawatt additional electricity will be produced with the liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported from Qatar.
Earlier on Friday, the federal Minister for petroleum and natural resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the media representatives in Islamabad that a LNG import agreement had been signed with Qatar in order to reduce the cost of power generation.
The minister said that the LNG import price would be submitted before the Economic Coordination Committee (CEC) for approval.
The petroleum minister said that the first shipment of LNG would reach Pakistan by the end of March, adding that the electricity generation through LNG would reduce cost of production by 40 percent as compared to diesel.