ISLAMABAD: Pakistani officials and representatives from the United States government celebrated the conclusion of the four-year Sustainable Energy for Pakistan (SEP) project. Through the SEP project, the US Agency for International Development (USAID) partnered with the Pakistani government to provide more affordable, and climate-friendly power to Pakistan’s national energy grid while fostering economic growth for the country.
The SEP project is a four-year (2017-21) technical assistance projected funded by USAID to support Pakistan’s efforts for the delivery of financially sustainable energy services. The project will be reaching its logically conclusion by August 31, 2021.
USAID Mission Director Julie Koenen said: “SEP has contributed towards making the energy sector more competitive, modern, efficient, clean, and financially viable for Pakistanis. I am hopeful that the impact of this work will go beyond the energy sector and benefit the entire economy of Pakistan.”
Waseem Mukhtar, Additional Secretary for the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), praised USAID for its partnership, innovation, and support in making Pakistan’s energy sector more sustainable.
Through this project, USAID increased Pakistan’s wind and solar capacity by approximately 50 percent by leveraging more than $965 million of energy sector investments from the private sector and other non-government sources for facilitating the addition of 860 megawatts of wind and solar projects.
The SEP also introduced and standardized several new technologies in Pakistan’s power sector, including smart meters, which the Pakistani government has expanded with its own funds. The US government’s partnership with Pakistan’s energy sector spans many decades and covers a wide range of projects to help Pakistan modernize its energy sector and combat the effects of climate change.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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