PM directs timely execution of 100MW G-B solar project

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has been informed that rooftop solar systems equipped with battery storage, with a combined generation capacity of 18 megawatts (MW), will be installed on 499 government buildings across Gilgit-Baltistan by December 2026 as part of the 100MW Solar Energy Project. Chairing a review meeting on Wednesday, the prime minister was given a comprehensive briefing on its progress. Officials said the PC-I for the 82MW utility-scale solar component had been submitted to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval. READ MORE: Govt to bear full cost of 100MW Gilgit-Baltistan solar project: PM Shehbaz The 82MW project is expected to provide reliable, affordable and clean electricity to around 1.3 million people across Gilgit-Baltistan, they added. Once operational, they added, it is projected to significantly improve the region’s power supply, enhance grid reliability and quality, and substantially reduce load-shedding. Addressing the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif said expanding access to clean, affordable and sustainable energy through solar power remained a central pillar of the government’s energy strategy. He described the 100MW initiative as a federal government’s gift to the people of Gilgit-Baltistan, aimed at ensuring long-term energy security through dependable and environmentally friendly electricity. The prime minister directed the Power Division to ensure the project’s timely execution in line with the approved schedule, stressing strict adherence to quality standards and close coordination among all implementing agencies. He also ordered complete transparency in the procurement process, directing that all payments be released only after third-party verification of the work carried out. The meeting was attended by Minister for Power Awais Leghari, Minister of State for Finance and Railways Bilal Azhar Kayani, and other senior government officials. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026