Pakistan’s first 500MW floating solar power plant to be installed at Keenjhar

In a major push toward renewable power generation, the Sindh government announced to install Pakistan's first floating solar power plant with a 500MW generation capacity.

The project would be set up at Keenjhar Lake at a cost of $400 million, informed Provincial Minister of Sindh for Energy Imtiaz Shaikh.

Taking to social media, the provincial minister informed that the floating solar power plant would start generating electricity in a span of two years. “A letter of Intent (Lol) of the project has been issued,” he said.

“The project will help in generating employment opportunities and control load-shedding,” said Shaikh, adding that the 500MW eco-friendly power project is another milestone in the achievements of the Sindh government.

The development comes as Pakistan is taking steps to ramp up its renewable power generation capacity, as it faces a deepening energy crisis, while the country struggles to grab tenders for the purchase of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

A day ago, it was learnt that Pakistan failed to receive a single offer for its latest LNG tender.

Pakistan LNG Limited (PLL), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Government Holdings Private Limited (GHPL), invited bids for ten LNG cargoes from international suppliers during the July-August-September window.

Suppliers were asked to submit bids by July 7. As per PLL documents, each cargo was to have a volumetric quantity of 140,000m3.

However, in an unusual development, the state-owned LNG purchaser did not receive a single offer in a $1 billion LNG purchase tender, said the Bloomberg report, citing traders with knowledge of the matter.

Meanwhile, the federal government also decided to announce the national solar energy policy on 1st August with implementation contingent on the approval of the Council of Common Interests (CCI).

Power generated from solar energy would not only be cheaper but would also reduce the burden of dearness on the people, said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. He said that we are launching Pakistan’s first comprehensive solar energy policy in view of these benefits, while adding that this policy would be implemented in consultation with the provinces.

The premier further stated that the government is trying to make the country self-sufficient in the energy sector as the meeting was informed that a proposal to convert fuel-powered powerhouses in the country to solar energy is under consideration besides another proposal for the generation of solar energy on 2,000 feeders of 11kV is also under consideration the meeting was further informed.