Govt eyes solar power as solution to electricity crisis
ISLAMABAD:
Power Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir has announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will unveil a new comprehensive solar energy policy on August 1 to curb the prolonged power outages and rein in rising electricity prices.
Addressing a news conference on Thursday, the minister stated that the prime minister received a comprehensive initial briefing on solar energy.
In accordance with the policy, he said, seven solar plants would be installed initially on the sites of the existing thermal power plants, where land and transmission lines already existed for electricity.
He said that the contract for the installation of solar power plants would be awarded to the lowest bidder after an open bidding process, adding that there was a proposal under consideration to install 1MW solar plants in small feeder areas across the country, which would help generate 2,000MW of electricity in the first phase.
“All government offices and buildings will be converted to solar energy, and the Parliament House will serve as the model,” he said, adding that the Parliament House saved millions of rupees annually in terms of electricity.
He stated that tube wells would also be converted to solar energy nationwide. Diesel-powered tube wells in Balochistan would receive top priority.
Dastgir said that the plan also included the distribution of one to three kilowatts solar panel modules to residential customers, whose cost would be recouped through electricity bills.
The minister hoped that all of these projects would add 7,000MW to 10,000MW of electricity to the national grid system before next summer.
Read Sindh govt plans to launch floating solar power project
According to him, Tarbela dam’s hydel electricity production increased further due to an increase in water inflow, and it now exceeded 3,800MW. He added that following maintenance, the Lucky Coal Power Plant also resumed operation.
Upon completion of its refuelling before Eid, the K-2 nuclear power plant would also begin supplying 1,100MW to the national grid, he added.
The minister also claimed that load-shedding would decrease significantly in the coming days. In large and important cities, less load management had been implemented, he added.
To a question, he stated that the tunnel damage at the Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project was being evaluated.
To another question, he stated that transmission lines were being installed in the Makran Division in addition to the installation of solar power plants in Makran’s coastal regions.
Solar energy potential is abundant in Panjgur and other regions of Balochistan, whereas the Jhimpir (Sindh) corridor produces between 600MW to 700MW of wind energy.
To the third question, the minister stated that the 1,214MW Shanghai Electric Thar Coal project, which had been delayed by the previous PTI government, would also begin production during the current fiscal year.
Gas crisis to worsen
Separately, addressing a news conference, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik said suppliers were not responding to Pakistan’s tender for spot LNG supply as once again the country had received no bids for 1O cargoes.
