ISLAMABAD: The detailed surveys for solarizing 50 agricultural feeders, out of a total of 581 tubewells, have been successfully completed in the first phase, as informed during the question hour in the National Assembly on Monday.
In a written response, Minister for Energy (Power Division) Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari stated that the completion of the survey was a vital step toward implementing solar solutions that would benefit the farmers and enhance agricultural productivity.
The survey was conducted in collaboration with the Energy Department of Balochistan, QESCO teams, and representatives from the Zamindar Action Committee, with support from Law Enforcement Agencies.
The project aims to solarize 27,437 registered tubewell connections at an estimated cost of around Rs 55 billion, with funding divided as 70 percent from the federal government and 30 percent from the provincial government. An MoU was signed on July 8, 2024, to formalize this initiative.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on July 8, 2024, for the solarization of agricultural tubewells. It is important to note that compensation of up to Rs. 2.01 will be provided for the solarization of each tubewell. Additionally, five RFO/Gas/Imported Coal-based IPPs totaling 3,742 MW have been commissioned in various areas of Balochistan with the facilitation of the Private Power Infrastructure Board (PPIB), while a 300 MW imported coal-based power project in Gwadar is currently undergoing financial processes