Solar Energy Revolution: Govt Rules Out New Fuel-Based IPPs; Shifts Focus to Battery Storage

LAHORE — Energy Minister Awais Leghari has announced that Pakistan will no longer set up new imported fuel-based Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Instead, the government is prioritizing a mass shift to Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) for 10 million consumers and encouraging heavy investment in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). This shift aims to capitalize on the country’s massive “accidental” solar boom, which has seen over 30 GW of solar capacity deployed nationwide.