The Pakistan Foreign Renewable Energy Investors Forum (PFREIF) has raised concerns about the Power Division’s handling of thirteen “withheld” renewable energy projects, accusing it of misleading the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister and Chief of Army Staff, the President of PFREIF, Mustafa Abdullah, commended SIFC’s decision to allow 300MW solar projects at GENCO-III/NPGCL’s site, emphasizing the potential for cheap and fuel-free electricity generation. However, PFREIF criticized the Power Division’s bureaucracy for misguiding SIFC regarding the status of these projects.
The Forum highlighted that Pakistan needs multiple decisions like these to add significant wind and solar power capacities, addressing the country’s expensive imported fuel-based electricity challenges. They emphasized the importance of transitioning to cheaper electricity sources to ensure Pakistan’s future sustainability.
According to PFREIF, the Power Division and Managing Director PPIB provided misleading information about thirteen advanced wind and solar projects, previously approved by a ministerial committee in 2023. These projects had Nepra-approved tariffs but were not officially gazetted by the PTI government.
Mustafa Abdullah called for an investigation into why no wind and solar projects were approved between 2016 and 2024, despite recommendations from a World Bank consultant’s report in 2017 to add 9200MW of renewable projects. This move aimed to reduce energy prices and decrease reliance on imported fuels.
Story by Mushtaq Ghumman
