Sectary Energy Asad-ur-Rehman Gillani on behalf Punjab Government and CEO Omer Yungul on behalf of Turkish company Zorlu Energy Holding has signed an agreement for setting up Solar Power Project of 100 megawatt at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park Bahawalpur. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was chief guest of signing ceremony.
Under the agreement, Turkish company will set up a 100 megawatt solar project at Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in the stipulated time of 06 months. With a tariff rate of 06 cent per unit, this project will provide low-priced electricity to people.
Provincial Ministers Dr Ayehsa Ghaus Pasha, Chaudhry Sher Ali, Turkish Consul General Serdar Deniz, other members of Turkish delegation were present at the signing ceremony.
CM Shahbaz Sharif said that Zorlu Enerji Holding is a renowned Energy Company and we will learn from its experiences and skill. The CM said that in the latest visit of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, he has offered unconditional cooperation to boost up energy sector as Energy crises is the reason behind Pakistan’s weak economic conditions adding that today’s project is first step towards that.
As per agreement this project should be completed in 6 months however, CM has directed that steps should be taken to complete this project in 4 months month without compromising at its quality. “With the cooperation of Turkish company we will provide 06 cent per unit which will not only benefit people but also make NEPRA who with its rotten policies has brought irreparable loss to Energy projects, to cut down it tariff which is 10.8 cent right now, just like before when we made it to cut down its solar tariff rate from 17 cent per unit to 14 cent per unit which has relived people to some extent, he added. He said that earning profit should never be the priority of any Government rather it should Public service at the top and under the dynamic leadership of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif we are moving forward at these lines” , Shahbaz said.
The CM said that government is taking steps on emergent basis to overcome energy crisis under which agreements had been made for starting various power generating projects with the collaboration of national and international companies. He said that the targets of economic development could not be achieved without overcoming energy crisis and traditional as well as alternative sources were also being utilized for implementing power generation projects and the method of generating energy through solar was also getting popularity all over the world.
He stressed the need for setting up low-cost energy projects so that electricity could be provided to the people at cheaper rates. He said that Punjab government is making rapid progress in this direction and 3600MW lower-cost gas power plants has been established already which has made NEPRA bring its tariff down.
