Islamabad: Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has directed to complete the 100 Megawatts Solar Project in Gilgit-Baltistan within a year.
PM Shehbaz Sharif was presiding over a meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday to review progress on 100 MW Solar Project for Gilgit Baltistan. The Prime Minister said he will personally supervise the project.
He said the Solar Project will be completed on priority basis to ensure uninterrupted supply of low-cost, eco-friendly electricity in Gilgit-Baltistan.
PM Shehbaz Sharif further instructed to make the entire infrastructure of the project climate resilient. He said the federal government will provide entire funding of the project, which bears utmost importance to remove darkness from Gilgit.
The Prime Minister said solarization is the most suitable solution to provide electricity to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan and remote areas to rid them of eighteen to twenty hours load shedding. He said the project will also provide low-cost and environmentally friendly electricity to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said renewable sources would have to be mixed with energy mix to protect Pakistan from hazardous impacts of the climate change.
He directed that the supply of electricity from hydel and solar sources in Gilgit-Baltistan should be ensured so that it could relieve the people from power outages during severe weather conditions.
The Prime Minister further directed to ensure transparency in the construction of the project.
On the occasion, the Prime Minister awarded chairmanship of the Steering Committee constituted for the construction of the project to Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari.
The meeting was briefed that under the project, six solar parks will be established in Gilgit, eight in Skardu and six in Diamer. Similarly, solar installation will be ensured on two hundred thirty-four buildings in Gilgit, one hundred seventy-nine in Skardu and sixty-six in Diamer.
It was further briefed that to ensure backup through the batteries in the project, a system for its real-time monitoring is also being evolved.
The meeting was informed about the construction cost and deadline of the project and that the international standards will be ensured in executing the project.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, during his recent visit to Gilgit, had announced that ECNEC would soon approve 100 megawatt power plants for Gilgit-Baltistan.