The government plans to shift the industrial units as well as water supply system in Gwadar area from conventional electricity to solar power.
Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry has announced that efforts are underway to implement solar-based solutions aimed at operationalising and improving the efficiency of Gwadar Port.
As the Prime Minister’s Solar Initiative for Gwadar is expected to be fully functional soon, it will facilitate the establishment of new factories in Gwadar free zone and provide power to the Gwadar International Airport.
While water shortage issue in Gwadar which is severe due to insufficient electricity to operate pumping and desalination plants will also improve, and the small industries in Gwadar like the fisheries sector will benefit by shifting from costly diesel and erratic grid electricity to solar power.
These observations were made in a meeting on Gwadar port operationalisation headed by the Federal Minister for maritime affairs and attended by Chairman Gwadar Port Authority Noorul Haque Baloch, Chairman of Chinese company COPHCL, My Yu Bo, along with Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Umer Zaffer Shaikh, and Technical Advisor Jawad Akhtar.
It was noted that dependable solar energy is not only a matter of reducing expenses but also vital to protecting the city’s flagship industry, which supports local livelihoods and strengthens its position in export markets.
A sub-committee has been formed and its key duties include devising an efficient solar panel utilisation plan, recommending the installation of solar photovoltaic systems and battery storage solutions for Gwadar’s water facilities, and proposing measures to enhance the region’s power supply.
The members of the sub-committee includes Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Federal Board of Revenue, Gwadar Port Authority, Gwadar Development Authority, Quetta Electric Supply Company, and officials from the PM’s Office with a responsibility to review the technical aspects of implementing solar power in Gwadar.
The sub-committee will design solar power distribution systems integrated with storage options to ensure a dependable energy supply for critical infrastructure, including the Gwadar Port Authority, he noted.
According to the plans a solar-based macro grids will be set up at strategic locations to supply power for water pumps and the 1.2 million gallons per day (MGD) desalination plant, with energy storage solutions also being considered.
The initiative seeks to significantly reduce Gwadar’s reliance on external energy by making it self-sufficient through local power sources. The plan includes establishing macro solar grids with sufficient capacity to meet power demands throughout the year, he added.
