BAHAWALPUR: A 100MW unit of the Quaid-i-Azam Solar Park, the first of its kind in the country, had a successful test run, Dawn learnt on Thursday.

According to sources, the solar park unit was run on a trial basis giving 85pc to 87pc of its total targeted production.

Confirming the successful test run to Dawn, Mepco Executive Engineer Dr Khawaja Niaz Ahmed said the solar park had started functioning on experimental basis successfully and it was being expected. He said the power generated by the solar park was being supplied to the national grid under Mepco supervision through its network.

According to Mr Ahmad, the solar park unit was expected to get its total generation target of 100MW gradually.

He said Mepco engineers were at the site to oversee the power generation and its supply to the national grid.

The solar park with a total generation capacity of 1,000 MW had been set up on more than 10,000 acres in Cholistan area with the Chinese support.

In the first phase, a 100MW unit has been set up, installing about 0.4 million solar panels on about 500 acres. Work on 300MW and 600MW units will be undertaken by Punjab energy department later.

Published in Dawn, April 17th, 2015

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