Cheap energy mix termed best solution

Punjab Information Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan has said that a cheap energy mix based on local resources is the best solution to the country's energy needs and the government is working towards fulfilling this commitment in the spirit of national service.

He said during a meeting that Pakistan's cheapest 100MW solar power project, which was started with the help of the private sector with an investment of Rs10 billion in Chobara area of Layyah, bears special importance in this regard.

Comparing past solar power projects, the minister said that the electricity tariff of Quaid-e-Azam Solar Power Project was fixed at around 14 cents per unit by the previous government, while in contrast the Layyah Solar Power Project will add electricity to the national grid at the nominal rate of 3.7 cents per unit.

Fayyazul Hassan Chohan further said that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had caused a loss to the country by banning renewable energy during the last two years of its tenure and had doled out billions of rupees for expensive power projects running on imported fuel.

He highlighted that the current government had thus far started work on 10,870MW hydropower projects.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2020.