PESHAWAR: The Energy and Power Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is going to launch two solar power projects worth Rs550 million to overcome the prevailing energy crisis and provide cheap electricity to 200 villages.
The government will provide 90 per cent of the total amount, while the locals to bear 10 per cent share as the project will provide solar power to 5,650 houses that are not connected to the National Electric Grid and have no access to electricity at all.
Under the project each household would receive technical components which would include two solar PV modules, two batteries, two LED lights and one each DC ceiling fan, DC pedestal fan and mobile charges outlet.
Installation of one of the two projects, for central and southern districts, would start in coming June. It would cost Rs300 million. A total of 2900 households in 100 villages would be the beneficiaries in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Kohat, Hangu, Bannu, DI Khan, Tank, Lakki Marwat and Karak districts, the officials explained.
The second project is for 2750 households in 100 villages and would also start in June in northern districts of the province. It would cost Rs250 million. The 100 villages that are not connected with the electricity grid in Malakand, Swat, Shangla, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Chitral, Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Kohistan, Batagram and Buner districts would be provided solar power under this project, they added.
