Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced plans to implement PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto’s program to provide free electricity to low-income consumers using solar energy solutions.
During a meeting at the CM House, several proposals were discussed, including on-grid and off-grid solutions, solar home systems (SHS), and the establishment of solar parks.
Key points from the meeting:
- On-Grid Solutions:
- Minister Energy Nasir Shah reported that approximately 80,000 households use 50 MW of electricity per month, with a distribution across KE, HESCO, and SEPCO jurisdictions.
- Around 1.9 million households use 100 MW of electricity per month, with significant numbers in Karachi, Hyderabad, and Sukkur regions.
- Off-Grid Solutions:
- There are 2.6 million off-grid households, with an initial phase to provide SHS to 500,000 households.
- Each 100-watt SHS costs approximately Rs50,000 and can support basic electrical needs such as LED bulbs, a DC fan, and mobile charging with a 6-hour battery backup.
- Microgrids:
- Proposal to establish six microgrids, each with a capacity of 75 kW, to serve 100 household clusters as a pilot project.
- Solar Parks:
- The CM proposed the creation of three solar parks, each with a 305 MW capacity, to supply electricity to KE, HESCO, and SEPCO, benefiting both on-grid and off-grid households.
Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah has directed the preparation of detailed proposals for SHS and solar parks, along with data collection for SHS consumers, to facilitate informed decision-making.