ISLAMABAD: The federal government has acquired over 2500 acres of land in Muzaffargarh with the purpose of constructing a 600 MW solar power plant that was initiated by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during his last term in office.
The plan for the 600-megawatt project was made by the previous Shehbaz Sharif administration as part of a larger effort to produce up to 6,000 MW of energy through solar power. But in the months since the government has failed to receive any bids for the project up until January 2024 when it made its fifth attempt to find a bidder.
This ambitious project was supposed to be the first of its kind in the country, a landmark achievement in the acquisition of renewable energy through international competitive bidding (ICB). The project was aligned with the long-term Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP) — roadmap for the future of energy in Pakistan. The government had tried everything in its power to attract potential bidders, from multiple rounds of bidding to revisions in incentives, all under the already approved Framework Guidelines for Fast-Track Solar PV Initiatives 2022.
The initial deadline for the bids was set for April 2023, which was subsequently extended to May. Following the initial disappointment, the RFP was once again floated in September, with the project being showcased in Dubai as part of an international roadshow in October — the 30th of October was also the cut-off date for the bids. Yet, the outcome was the same — no bids. Undeterred, the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB), the entity tasked with overseeing the bidding for the project, extended the deadline for bids to December 11. The PPIB then further stretched the deadline to January 11; however, this date too has passed without the Government securing a single bid for the project.
Despite this, the NTDC is continuing to acquire land as part of the government’s efforts to encourage investors to put their money into the project.
As per details, National Transmission and Despatch Company Limited (NTDC) has successfully acquired and taken possession of 2553 acres, 06 Kanals and 09 Marla land for the construction of 600 MW Solar Power Project in Tehsil Chowk Sarwar Shaheed of District Muzaffargarh.
