Gwadar Port to Get Solar Power Under PM’s Initiative

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs, Muhammad Junaid Anwar Chaudhry, has announced that the government is moving forward with plans to introduce solar-powered solutions for Gwadar Port, a key hub of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The announcement was made during a meeting on Gwadar Port’s operational progress, attended by Gwadar Port Authority (GPA) Chairman Noorul Haque Baloch, COPHCL Chairman My Yu Bo, Additional Secretary of Maritime Affairs Umer Zaffer Shaikh, and other senior officials.

Chaudhry stated that his ministry, in coordination with the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, the Ministry of Energy, and other agencies, is working to resolve Gwadar’s long-standing issues of electricity shortages and water scarcity.

To implement the initiative, a dedicated sub-committee has been formed. It includes representatives from the Ministry of Energy, Federal Board of Revenue, Gwadar Development Authority, Quetta Electric Supply Company, GPA, and the Prime Minister’s Office. The body will examine technical options for shifting Gwadar toward clean solar energy.

The minister noted that the committee will prepare a roadmap for solar panel deployment, recommend solar photovoltaic systems with battery storage for water supply projects, and establish solar-based microgrids to power the 1.2 MGD desalination plant and other vital infrastructure. Large-scale solar grids are also planned to meet Gwadar’s annual energy needs.

Chaudhry emphasized that the Prime Minister’s Solar Initiative for Gwadar will provide reliable electricity, support industrial growth in the Gwadar Free Zone, and ensure uninterrupted power supply at Gwadar International Airport. He added that Gwadar’s water crisis is mainly linked to electricity shortages, as reserves cannot be distributed without a steady power supply.