Federal Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir Khan on Wednesday inaugurated 100 megawatt solar power plant in Layyah district of Punjab, the National Transmission and Dispatch Co. (NTDC) said.
The project was sponsored by China’s Zhenfa Energy Group and Pakistan’s Atlas Power Ltd., according to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). PowerChina Huadong Engineering Corporation is the EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractor of the project.
The Minister said on the occasion that the project reflected the government’s resolve to increase the production of cheaper and environment-friendly electricity. The cost of electricity generated by the project is Rs 9 per unit, he said. He said that the project would save US$30 million in foreign exchange annually.
The Minister said that the government had adopted a policy to generate electricity from cheaper local sources and thousands of megawatts will be generated from solar power in different areas of the country.
He said that the Shanghai Electric Power Project of 1320MW would start production next month that will run on Thar coal and provide cheaper electricity.
Managing Director PPIB Shah Jahan Mirza and Managing Director NTDC Dr Abdul Jabbar Khan also spoke on the occasion.
The project has created more than 100 jobs, out of which 60 per cent have gone to local people. More than 5,000 fruit trees have also been planted to improve environment in the area. The project will ensure an uninterrupted power supply with better voltage in the jurisdiction of Multan Electricity Supply Co. (MEPCO), according to NTDC.
