ISLAMABAD: National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Monday decided to grant micro-grid licences to Quaid-e-Azam Solar (Private) Limited (QASPPL) aimed to satisfy the queries raised by Registrar Nepra and Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco).

Chairman Nepra Tauseef H Farooqi, Member Sindh, Rafique Ahmad Shaikh and Maqsood Anwar Khan officiated the public hearing. Chairman Nepra congratulated the company for filing application for licence of micro-grid in the country.

QASPPL submitted two applications on October 17, 2022 for total 11 (six locations and five locations) micro-grid licences for cumulative capacity of 700 kilowatts and 600-KV. The locations were in districts Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalnagar, Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Multan and Muzaffargarh.

The micro-grid is like micro hydro projects for which no regulations are available as the idea is to provide off-grid electricity to the people. This is the first time when projects are being established where power utility companies do not have a network due to which thousands of people are without power despite the fact that the provision of electricity is a fundamental right of each citizen.

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Chairman Nepra said that 26 per cent or 55 million Pakistanis are without electricity, adding that the regulator wants the WASPPL to approach those people and supply them off-grid electricity.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Badarul Munir briefed the Authority that the company established 100-MW solar power plant at Bahawalpur and now the company’s Board has decided to go for off-grid solution for the people in South Punjab who are without power.

In 2018, the company had approached Discos for the list of villages/ localities which are still un-electrified.

Mepco gave data of 96000 households residing in 6000 villages. Some of the villages are 100 years old but are still without electricity.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022