SAHIWAL: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the first 660 megawatt (MW) unit of the Sahiwal Coal Power Project on Thursday.

The 1320MW capacity plant ? said to be part of the early projects of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor ? was completed in 22 months. 

The premier ? accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Governor Rafique Rajhwana and State Power Minister Abid Sher Ali ? was also given a tour of the plant, which has been developed by a Chinese company.

The delegation, which also included Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafique and Chinese Ambassador Sun Weidong, was also given a briefing by Chinese and Pakistani engineers on the operations of the plant. 

Earlier, during a meeting with a Chinese delegation of Huaneng Group in Lahore on Wednesday, the Punjab chief minister felicitated the Chinese workers on completion of the project six months ahead of time.

The Chinese delegation told the chief minister that the second 660MW unit of the Sahiwal Coal Power Plant will also start generating power shortly.