Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) is set to receive a major boost in renewable energy as the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a 100-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant project, fulfilling Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent promise to the region’s residents.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office Media Wing, the project — worth Rs24.957 billion — will be completed within three years and will supply clean energy to 12 districts across GB in multiple phases.
The districts of Astore, Daryal, Tangir Diamer, Ghanche, Ghizer, Gilgit, Hunza, Ishkoman, Nagar, Rondu, Skardu, and Shigar will benefit from the initiative.
In the first phase, Skardu will receive 18.958 MW of electricity, followed by Hunza (6.005 MW), Gilgit (28.013 MW), and Diamer (13.126 MW) in the second phase. The remaining districts will get 16.096 MW in the third phase. Additionally, 18.162 MW of off-grid electricity will be supplied to hospitals and government offices, ensuring uninterrupted power for essential services.
The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) had already given its approval earlier, paving the way for ECNEC’s green light. Formal work on the project is now set to commence immediately.
This development aligns with the government’s renewable energy agenda, aiming to enhance sustainable power generation and reduce dependence on non-renewable sources in remote regions like Gilgit-Baltistan.
