The Director General (DG), Wapda, Tahir Basharat Cheema has said that government, using coal as fuel, is planning to set up 5000 MW power generation plant within the next few years. He said this while speaking at a ceremony arranged by Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He said that the country's survival largely depends on proper use of its coal reserves. '184 billion tonnes of coal reserves were available in Thar area alone', Cheema said. He expressed concern over the fact that Pakistan was generating only 0.1 percent electricity from coal. Referring to the performances of neighbouring countries, he said China generates 74 percent electricity from coal and India generates 55 percent. Further, Wapda DG said that three rental powerhouses would start generating 1067 MW of electricity by the end of this year. The fourth rental powerhouse would start generating 192 MW power from December 2008 at Piran Gaib power station, Multan. The station would have another 350 MW electricity through a power plant, he added. The Muzaffargarh Thermal powerhouse was not generating energy up to its capacity of 1350 MW. In fact it was generating only 1000 MW of electricity at the moment which would be increased by overhauling its turbines, Cheema stated. Copyright Business Recorder, 2008