In order to provide affordable and environmentally friendly electricity, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif mainly approved the building of solar power projects totaling 2000 megawatts in the public sector on Thursday.
The country’s dependency on power projects using expensive fuels, which put a strain on foreign exchange reserves, will be reduced, according to the prime minister, who presided over a meeting to examine the construction of 10,000 megawatts worth of solar projects around the nation.
He stated that the initiative will urgently convert the agricultural tube wells to solar electricity. The solar energy projects would also aid in resolving the problems associated with circular debt, power theft, and line losses.
Following a thorough briefing on solar projects, the prime minister announced to the group that the government will provide sovereign guarantees to the businesses financing solar projects.
On September 14, local and foreign investor businesses, including those from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, China, and Qatar, attended an investors conference on solarization, which also received expressions of interest from those countries.
It was reported that work on the identification of potential areas for solar power projects had been started. An appropriate location close to Muzaffargarh has already been chosen for the construction of a 600MW solar power project.
Additionally, preparations are being made for the construction of an 11KV solar-powered feeder.
The Alternate Energy Development Board, Central Power Purchasing Company, NEPRA, and other departments were in constant conversation while work on a framework and tariff for solar energy progressed, according to information provided to the conference.
The prime minister gave the relevant authorities instructions to considerably expedite the times for introducing solar energy into the national grid.
The gathering was informed that government building solarization work was also being prioritised.
The prime minister established a commission for the solarization of tube wells that included Tariq Bashir Cheema, the minister of national food security, the secretary of power, and a representative from the ministry of water resources.
