According to information, as a major step toward reforms in the country’s crisis-hit energy sector, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed that the electricity feeders with the highest losses be shifted to solar power.
Sources say the objective of this decision is to address the country’s energy crisis through collaboration between local communities and provincial governments. While chairing a high-level meeting on the solar energy initiative, the Prime Minister made it clear that high-loss feeders would be converted to solar power with the cooperation of local communities and provincial governments. He said the project would not only reduce losses but also help ensure a more stable electricity supply in the long term.
Issuing practical directives, the Prime Minister ordered the immediate launch of pilot projects on high-loss feeders, particularly in Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) and Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO). These pilot projects are expected to provide guidance for nationwide reforms.
Calling the initiative a “game changer,” the Prime Minister emphasized that the participation of local communities and cooperation with provincial authorities are of key importance to ensure the success of the project. He directed immediate consultations with local representatives, stressing that without the cooperation and support of the local population, the project could fail.
Officials briefing the meeting stated that the transition to solar energy would lead to the development of low-cost and environmentally sustainable microgrids. These modern solutions would not only generate reliable electricity but also help prevent the massive financial losses occurring in the country’s crisis-stricken power distribution system. The Prime Minister insisted that the project would significantly reduce losses in the coming years.
Following the principle approval of the project, he ordered immediate work to begin on pilot schemes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, adding that this work must now be carried out under all circumstances.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar, Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik, Minister of State for Finance Bilal Azhar Kayani, the Chief Secretaries of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, along with senior government officials.
