ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Muhammad Asif termed the information circulating about the exceeding costs of Nandipur power project as incorrect and refuted the claims about the shutting down of power plant, Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.

Khawaja Asif said National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and the court have rejected these allegations, which are false as the plant is up and running.

"A complete investigation on the power plant has been prepared," he added.

The auditor general in a report has certified that Nandipur Power Project is within its the estimated cost of Rs58.416 billion.

Addressing a joint news conference along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid, Asif said that the total cost of Nandipur is Rs58 billion.

He said the new team revived the project and it is now fully functional and producing 445 megawatts of electricity.

Nandipur power project since its inauguration last year has produced electricity worth Rs5.6 billion, he maintained.

The minister said the auditor general in his report also recommended shifting of the power plant to the LNG.

"The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines will lay down the pipeline for the purpose, which will help generate cheap and clean energy. This will also enhance the capacity of the power plant to 500 megawatts."

Asif said Nandipur power project suffered delay under the PPP government, but the incumbent government resumed work on the project in 2013 as per the PC-1 approved by the previous government.

"The operation and maintenance of the project will be outsourced through a transparent international bidding," he added.

Responding to a question, he said the prime minister is personally taking interest to settle the outstanding dues to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on account of net hydel profit.

It is to mention that, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had ordered two separate audits — one by an audit firm of international repute and the other by the auditor general of Pakistan – into matters relating to the 525MW Nandipur power project.