The government of Punjab is planning to generate over 5,000 MW of electricity to reduce its dependence on the national grid.
It intends to facilitate the generation of 300 MW of electricity by initiating a number of small hydropower projects under short, medium, and long-term strategies by 2024. It has already floated tenders to begin the construction of 12 mini-hydropower projects before June 2021.
Punjab’s Minister for Energy, Dr. Akhtar Malik said,
‘Save electricity for Yourself and the Nation’ is a slogan of the federal government but we have slightly changed it for Punjab – ‘Make Electricity for Yourself and the Nation’. For this, we envision Punjab as an energy-secure province by promoting the renewable energy sector involving the optimal use of indigenous resources, private sector investment, timely regulatory interventions, and efficient energy conservation
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According to a report shared with the government, Punjab is seeking the supply of electricity to several off-grid villages and requires the development of generation facilities near load centers or clusters, the exploration of oil and gas, the retrofitting of 300 MW of solar energy at the 600 MW Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park, and the establishment of an identified 1,000 MW wind corridor at Rajanpur.
It also needs to encourage the use of rooftop solar energy for households and public institutes, and the addition of public institutes and energy conservation building codes.
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The report read:
The government has started work to launch 50 MW waste to energy project in Lahore, 100 MW Zhenfa solar project, 100 MW Zorlu solar projects, solarisation of 4,200 schools (6.8 MW) in the north and south Punjab, solarisation of CM Secretariat and General Hospital in Lahore (over 3 MW), Islamia University in Bahawalpur (2.5 MW), 2,324 Basic Health Units (7.24 MW), 12 DHQ Hospitals (5 MW) and various off-grid villages (5 MW), 0.550 MW solar/biogas hybrid power system in Vehari and Sumandari and commercial operation of 1,263 MW Punjab Thermal Power Project at Trimmu, Jhang.
I hope non of those 500MW are being planned on natural gas fired power plants, cuz Punjab doesn’t produce enough even to fulfill its requirements and need gas from other provinces. Otherwise those provinces would have to face increased gas load shedding or pay premium for imported LNG.