Centre selects only one solar power project from Sindh
Pakistan’s govt has set ambitious targets for solar PV capacity under the Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan. Photo: file
Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmad Sheikh, in a letter to Federal Minister for Energy Khurram Dastgir, expressed surprised at the Alternative Energy Development Board's (AEDB) decision to select only one solar power project out of 25 proposed by Sindh for competitive bidding.
AEDB has been mandated by the federal government to facilitate, promote and encourage development of renewable energy resources for electricity generation.
Sheikh referred the decisions of the Cabinet panel on energy and the Integrated Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP), which said that power generation from solar and wind energy would be increased by 1,000MW each.
Sheikh said it was unfair that projects of only limited capacity were selected for competitive bidding.
According to the board's 2019 policy, 31 wind power projects of 2,139MW capacity and 69 solar power projects of 4,193MW had to be taken up for the competitive bidding. But AEDB selected only 22 wind and 27 solar energy projects without any clear criteria.
Sheikh pointed out that according to a World Bank commissioned study, an upgrade in transmission and distribution system in Sindh can put 6,765MW of solar and wind energy on national grid by 2025 and 10,035MW by 2030.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2023.