The government of Punjab is planning to generate over 5,000 MW ofelectricity to reduce its dependence on the national grid.
It intends to facilitate the generation of 300 MW of electricity byinitiating a number of small hydropower projects under short, medium, andlong-term strategies by 2024. It has already floated tenders to begin theconstruction of 12 mini-hydropower projects before June 2021.
Punjab’s Minister for Energy, Dr. Akhtar Malik said,
‘Save electricity for Yourself and the Nation’ is a slogan of the federalgovernment but we have slightly changed it for Punjab – ‘Make Electricityfor Yourself and the Nation’. For this, we envision Punjab as anenergy-secure province by promoting the renewable energy sector involvingthe optimal use of indigenous resources, private sector investment, timelyregulatory interventions, and efficient energy conservation
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According to a report shared with the government, Punjab is seeking thesupply of electricity to several off-grid villages and requires thedevelopment of generation facilities near load centers or clusters, theexploration of oil and gas, the retrofitting of 300 MW of solar energy atthe 600 MW Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park, and the establishment of an identified1,000 MW wind corridor at Rajanpur.
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It also needs to encourage the use of rooftop solar energy for householdsand public institutes, and the addition of public institutes and energyconservation building codes.——————————
The report read:
The government has started work to launch 50 MW waste to energy project inLahore, 100 MW Zhenfa solar project, 100 MW Zorlu solar projects,solarisation of 4,200 schools (6.8 MW) in the north and south Punjab,solarisation of CM Secretariat and General Hospital in Lahore (over 3 MW),Islamia University in Bahawalpur (2.5 MW), 2,324 Basic Health Units (7.24MW), 12 DHQ Hospitals (5 MW) and various off-grid villages (5 MW), 0.550 MWsolar/biogas hybrid power system in Vehari and Sumandari and commercialoperation of 1,263 MW Punjab Thermal Power Project at Trimmu, Jhang.
