KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has unveiled an ambitious plan to provide free electricity to consumers using up to 100 units per month and to supply solar power systems to off-grid households. The announcement was made during a meeting held at the Chief Minister’s House in Karachi, attended by various officials including Energy Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Adviser Ahsan Mazari, Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah, Principal Secretary Agha Wasif, and Energy Secretary Musaddiq Khan.
The Energy Minister provided a comprehensive briefing, revealing that approximately 800,000 households, consuming 50 megawatts of electricity monthly, include 441,483 under K-Electric, 229,338 in HESCO, and 125,500 in SEPCO’s jurisdiction. Furthermore, about 1.9 million households, consuming 100 megawatts monthly, encompass 1,054,000 in Karachi (KE), 566,427 in the Hyderabad region (HESCO), and 356,073 in the Sukkur region (SEPCO).
A significant portion of the discussion focused on the 2.6 million off-grid households, out of which 500,000 will be provided with solar home systems (SHS) in the first phase. Each SHS, costing approximately 50,000 rupees, includes three LED bulbs, a 35-watt DC fan, and mobile charging ports with a six-hour battery backup.
Chief Minister Shah also proposed the establishment of six pilot micro-grids, each with a capacity of 75 kilowatts, to cater to clusters of 100 households. Additionally, he suggested setting up three solar parks of 305 megawatts each, to supply electricity to K-Electric, HESCO, and SEPCO, thereby benefiting both on-grid and off-grid households.
Murad Ali Shah directed the Energy Minister to prepare detailed proposals for the solar parks and the solar home systems for further discussion and approval. This comprehensive initiative aims to address energy challenges in Sindh and promote sustainable energy solutions across the province.
