Gilgit-Baltistan Secures 100MW Solar Power Boost

Major energy project greenlit to combat power outages

A significant boost for Gilgit-Baltistan’s energy infrastructure has been approved, with the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council sanctioning a 100-megawatt solar photovoltaic power project for the region.

Project Commencement and Distribution Plan

Formal work on the vital solar initiative will now begin, following an announcement by the prime minister during a recent visit to Gilgit-Baltistan, where he had indicated the project’s impending approval. The Central Development Working Party had previously given its go-ahead.

This substantial investment is set to benefit numerous districts across Gilgit-Baltistan, including Astore, Darel, Tangir, Diamer, Ghanche, Ghizer, Gilgit, Hunza, Ishkoman, Nagar, Roundu, Skardu, and Shigar.

The electricity distribution has been planned in phases. Skardu district will receive 18.96MW in the initial stage. Subsequently, Hunza, Gilgit, and Diamer are slated to get 6MW, 28MW, and 13MW, respectively, in the second phase. The remaining areas will be supplied with 16.1MW in the third phase.

Addressing Energy Crisis and Project Timeline

The project, with a total cost of Rs24,957 million, is projected to be completed within three years. This development comes in the wake of widespread public discontent over severe loadshedding and power outages experienced across Gilgit-Baltistan in June. Demonstrations and road blockades, including on the Karakoram Highway, highlighted the escalating crisis, which opposition lawmakers also raised in the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, citing the unbearable impact on residents’ lives.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), solar energy costs have fallen dramatically over the past decade, making projects like this increasingly viable and cost-effective for developing regions (IRENA 2023).