PM Shehbaz directs to accelerate bidding of solar power plants

• The prime minister said necessary steps should be taken.
• He said solarisation should be done first in Islamabad buildings.
• PM Shehbaz Sharif directed that centralised procurement

ISLAMABAD: PM Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday directed all departments concerned to speed up transparent bidding of solar power plants as solar energy was inevitable for improving the economy and reducing the import bill in terms of fuel.

PM Shehbaz was chairing a meeting in Islamabad regarding the promotion of solar energy in the country.

The prime minister said necessary steps should be taken to promote the use of solar energy at the private level while maximum government buildings in the country should be converted to solar before the start of summer season.

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PM seeks plan to solarise govt buildings in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the authorities concerned to...

He said solarisation should be done first in buildings of the federal government in Islamabad capital territory and will be extended across the country later on.

PM Shehbaz Sharif directed that centralised procurement should be adopted for this purpose. He added that conversion to solar energy would significantly reduce the electricity bills of government institutions.

The meeting was briefed that the federal cabinet had approved the framework for generating electricity from solar energy instead of expensive fuel.

It was further informed that three projects are under consideration for generating electricity from solar energy, including a 1200 MW project in Layyah while a 600 MW project in Muzaffargarh and Trimmu. The meeting was further informed that the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority will determine the tariff of major solar energy projects by the end of December, after which bids would be invited from the investors on behalf of the Alternative Energy Development Board.

On December 20, Shehbaz Sharif had directed the authorities concerned to formulate a plan at the earliest for solarisation of government buildings in Islamabad.

The prime minister, who had chaired the meeting of the cabinet committee on energy, was given a briefing on the gas development schemes across the country.

The cabinet committee had approved the completion of construction work of the gas development schemes started during 2013-18.