Govt advances for 10,000 MW solar power, plans pre-bid conference

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has moved ahead for generating 10,000 megawatts of solar power and PM Shehbaz Sharif decided to call a pre-bid conference next week, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced on Twitter, “As part of a plan to generate 10,000 MW solar power, we decided today to call pre-bid conference of all stakeholders next week.”

He said that the government buildings and tube wells running on diesel will be shifted to solar under the plan. “Power plants operating on diesel, coal and furnace oil will be partially replaced,” PM Sharif said.

“A major chunk of electricity is produced from imported fuel whose prices have gone up in recent months.”

“Our National Solar Energy Initiative is aimed at substituting costly energy with cheap solar power, which will provide massive relief to people and save precious foreign exchange,” announced the prime minister.

As part of a plan to generate 10,000 MW solar power, we decided today to call pre-bid conference of all stakeholders next week. Govt buildings & tube wells running on diesel will be shifted to solar.Power plants operating on diesel, coal & furnace oill will be partially replaced.

— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) September 1, 2022

Earlier in the day, PM Shehbaz Sharif in a major initiative in power sector decided to focus on solarisation as an alternative to power generation with expensive imported fuel.

READ: SINDH GOVT TO BUILD PAKISTAN’S FIRST FLOATING SOLAR POWER PLANT ON KEENJHAR LAKE

PM Shehbaz Sharif has approved the initiative of solarization to generate electricity from solar energy, which will help Pakistan to save billions of dollars foreign exchange.

He has also directed for an early implementation of building solar power projects, stressing to provide relief to people before the next summer.

PM Shehbaz Sharif has urged concerned departments to work on the solarization project on an emergency basis. He has directed for holding a pre-bid conference next week before bidding for the project.

It is to be mentioned here that the government has recently announced launching of 14,000 MW solarization projects in the next few months as an alternative to power plants running on expensive imported fuel.

READ: MIFTAH ISMAIL ANNOUNCES 8000MW SOLAR POWER PROJECT, SUBSIDY ON BILLS

It is to be mentioned here Pakistan’s solar potential is yet to be tapped. The country relies mostly on imported fuel that involves coal, RLNG, gas, and furnace oil. Heavy reliance on imported fuel complicated by international situation and internal conditions resulted in approximately 40% increase in the cost of power this year and depleting foreign reserve at a higher rate, an expert in solar energy field said.

The government’s solar plan is expected to reduce the cost of power greatly.