Overview
- Officials told the prime minister that the PC‑1, the formal project document required for ECNEC approval and release of funds, has been submitted for the 82MW utility‑scale component of the 100MW Gilgit‑Baltistan solar initiative.
- The broader 100MW package pairs the 82MW ground‑mounted plant with 18MW of rooftop solar plus battery storage to be fitted on 499 government buildings by December 2026.
- Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif instructed the Power Division to ensure timely delivery, high quality standards and strict procurement transparency with all payments subject to third‑party verification.
- Officials say the utility‑scale element is expected to improve grid reliability and cut load‑shedding for roughly 1.3 million residents in Gilgit‑Baltistan once it becomes operational.
- The PC‑1 submission is a key administrative milestone but not final approval, so ECNEC sign‑off and subsequent procurement and contracting remain necessary before construction and installations can begin; earlier plans also repurpose confiscated solar panels to help equip remote sites.