A Rs. 110 million solar energy project at the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) has reportedly failed to deliver the expected savings due to technical and administrative issues.
The project, funded by the Higher Education Commission, was launched under the Green Energy Project to cut electricity costs and generate additional revenue through net metering.
However, university sources said the system is currently operating at only 40 to 50 percent of its intended capacity and has not led to any significant reduction in electricity bills at the university’s two Karachi campuses over the past year.
According to sources, the on-grid solar system was meant to be connected to the K-Electric network, but the university did not have the required load sanction. This prevented grid connectivity and made net metering impossible.
Sources said the university now needs to pay around Rs. 8.5 million per campus to the power utility to secure approvals and complete the connection process. Until then, only a limited portion of the generated electricity can be used directly, while the remaining capacity remains unutilized.
The absence of battery storage has further limited the project, as surplus electricity cannot be stored for later use. The university reportedly continues to rely on generators during power outages despite having a large solar setup.
Questions have also been raised over the quality of installation, with sources alleging substandard wiring and inadequate earthing. They claimed that photos and videos documenting these issues have surfaced.
A total of 1,050 kWp of on-grid solar capacity was installed across FUUAST campuses. The first phase included 250 kWp at the Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus, 220 kWp at the Islamabad Campus, and 80 kWp at the Abdul Haq Campus. The project was later expanded with another 400 kWp in Islamabad and 100 kWp at Gulshan-e-Iqbal.
The reported shortcomings have raised concerns over the use of public funds and the long-term viability of the project.