Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has inaugurated the renovation project of the Mangla dam meant to enhance its power generation ability.
The total cost of the project was $483 million, whereas the US provided $150 million as a grant.
PM Shehbaz at the event called the project a wonderful example of Pakistan-US cooperation.
The prime minister highlighted the importance of significantly strengthening Islamabad and Washington’s bilateral economic and investment relations.
“Pakistan cannot afford expensive energy on which annually Rs27 billion are currently being spent,” PM said.
Shehbaz added that the current administration established a plan to produce 10,000 megawatts of electricity using solar energy and that a 1,320-megawatt power plant had been launched in Thar to produce electricity using local coal.
According to the prime minister, if these hydroelectric projects had been finished sooner, the recent floods would not have caused the country such damage and its dependency on imported fuel would have been minimal.
PM Shehbaz emphasized the value of cooperation in serving the nation and guiding it through all difficulties.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome also called this project a symbol of Pakistan-US cooperation.
The envoy said that the Mangla power facilities will remain operational for several years and that the restoration work will improve electricity output to fulfill the demands of approximately two million people.
