The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council approved a 100 megawatt solar photovoltaic power project for Gilgit-Baltistan, state-run Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday.

It added that formal work on the project would now commence. The prime minister had announced during his recent visit to GB that Ecnec would soon approve the 100MW power plants.

The report said that Central Development Working Party had already approved the project and it would benefit the districts of Astore, Darel, Tangir, Diamer, Ghanche, Ghizer, Gilgit, Hunza, Ishkoman, Nagar, Roundu, Skardu and Shigar.

It added that Skardu district would be provided with 18.96MW of electricity in the first phase; the districts of Hunza, Gilgit and Diamer would be supplied with 6MW, 28MW and 13MW of electricity, respectively, in the second phase and the remaining districts would receive 16.1MW of electricity in the third phase.

The project is set to be completed within three years at a total cost of Rs24,957 million.

In June, protest demonstrations were held in several areas of GB against massive loadshedding and power outages — leading to blockades on main roads and the Karakoram Highway. The issue was raised in the GB Assembly by opposition lawmakers, who said the crisis has made life unbearable for people.