Lahore: Punjab Information Minister Fayyaz-ul-Hassan Chauhan on Monday stated that work on ‘Pakistan’s cheapest solar power project’ was underway in the province, a news source reported. He added that the authorities concerned were working on hydel power projects with a cumulative generation of 10,870 megawatts (MWs).
Chauhan highlighted that the said solar power plant of 100MWs situated in Chobara area of Layyah was of ‘special importance’. He added that the project was started with the assistance of the private sector, which provided an investment worth PKR 10 billion. He explained that this project would add electricity to national grid at a nominal rate of 3.7 cents per unit.
The minister said that as per the directions of Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, ‘work on the Naya Pakistan Solarisation Programme was underway on war footing’. He added that this project would help 15,000 primary schools and 1,400 primary health centres to shift on solar energy. He highlighted that so far, 8,000 schools had shifted to solar energy, and work on the remaining was underway.
Chauhan revealed that around 60 government universities in Punjab were beginning to shift to solar energy on the ‘Esco model’. He added that the solarisation of these institutions would provide 60MWs of clean, green, and affordable electricity. Additionally, it would provide PKR 1 billion annually and PKR 25 billion in the next 25 years to these universities, he said.
