KARACHI: A tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed on Friday by the Sindh energy department, World Bank and K-Electric for a project of two solar parks in the city.

Presiding over the ceremony, Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh said the power generated by the solar parks was affordable and environment friendly for the city.

Despite federal government’s obstructive and delaying policies, he said, construction of the 350-megawatt solar parks was tantamount to crossing a milestone.

The energy minister said a 175MW solar park on 600 acres would be set up in Deh Halkani, Manghopir in district West, while another 175MW solar park on 600 acres would be established in Deh Shah Mureed in district Malir.

Cost of these two solar gardens is estimated at Rs40 million each; they would have a total generating capacity of 350MW. It will be completed in two years to provide affordable, transparent and eco-friendly electricity in the city.

Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh said the provincial government’s Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company would lay a transmission line for the two solar parks while K Electric would build a grid station and purchase electricity from those solar parks.

He said low-cost electricity would also reduce the tariff and facilitate affordability to citizens.

He said the Sindh government was working expeditiously on transparent sources of energy in accordance with global environmental protocols and solar park projects would also be launched for other cities.

Earlier, the MoU was signed by Energy Secretary Abu Bakar Madani, K-Electric chief executive officer Monis Alvi and World Bank Pakistan Chief Mr Najy Benhassine.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2021