PESHAWAR: Experts at a seminar on Wednesday called for promoting decentralised solar power systems backed by battery storage to address the energy crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They emphasised that though the province had abundant energy resources, the residents continued to face an unreliable power supply, so the existing centralised energy system should be reviewed.

The seminar titled “Energy Crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Exploring Solar Energy as a Green and Sustainable Solution” was organised by the Centre for Regional Policy and Dialogue (CRPD) at the Peshawar Press Club.

Awami National Party secretary for foreign affairs Sardar Hussain Babak said the energy crisis in the province was linked to political, administrative and structural issues.

Experts complain of unreliable power supply in KP despite abundant energy resources

He said solar power combined with battery storage could provide a viable and immediate solution for the province. He added that the security situation was also affecting the energy sector.

CRPD chief executive Mehran Wazir said the centralised nature of the energy system was making it difficult for KP to meet its energy requirements.

He suggested decentralising the power grid and promoting solar generation and battery storage at the local level to help the province overcome its energy crisis.

Engineer Fauzia Rafiq highlighted the environmental and social impacts of large hydropower projects, saying such schemes could affect rivers as well as natural ecosystems, flora and fauna.

Director of the UET Peshawar’s USPCAS-E Dr Adnan Daud said the world was rapidly shifting towards solar energy and that the sector was also creating new employment opportunities.

He said solar power could be deployed in different areas in less time and with comparatively less infrastructure than large hydropower projects. The speakers stressed that installing solar panels alone would not be sufficient and that battery storage, efficient power distribution and a strong provincial policy were equally essential.

They called for greater provincial authority over electricity generation, transmission, distribution and revenues from energy resources, saying this will enable KP to utilise its natural resources more effectively for the benefit of local communities and the provincial economy.

The speakers emphasised that KP needed to develop a comprehensive, affordable, sustainable and decentralised energy system instead of limiting itself to a choice between hydropower and solar energy.

Such a system, according to them, should integrate solar power and battery storage with existing energy sources.

The CRPD said it would continue dialogue among experts, civil society, policymakers and local communities to promote sustainable energy, energy security and effective policymaking at the provincial level.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2026