PM summons Chinese experts’ meeting to review GB’s 100MW solar project

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has summoned a meeting with Chinese experts today to review progress on the 100-megawatt solar power project being installed in Gilgit-Baltistan. The meeting will receive a detailed briefing on the project, and relevant federal ministers and senior government officials will also attend.

What the meeting will cover

According to sources, the prime minister will be briefed on how implementation is going, and is expected to issue important directives on imports connected with the project. This is not just about generating electricity: the project includes a battery energy storage system, so power generated during the day can be stored and used at night, keeping supply steadier through the evening.

Why Gilgit-Baltistan needs it

Power shortages have been a long-running problem in Gilgit-Baltistan, sharpest in winter, when demand rises and local generation falls short. The project was launched under the federal Public Sector Development Programme and the prime minister’s special package to close exactly that gap. NESPAK carried out the feasibility study, and the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council later approved it at an estimated cost of Rs24.957 billion, with a three-year completion timeline.

How the project is structured

Under earlier official briefings, the 100MW breaks down into 82MW of utility-scale solar plants and 18MW of rooftop systems on 499 government buildings across Gilgit-Baltistan, with battery storage attached to the rooftop installations. The rooftop portion is targeted for completion by December 2026. Officials say the larger project should bring more reliable electricity to around 1.3 million people and help cut load-shedding across the region. Today’s meeting is a progress review — its decisions will be reported as they emerge, and this story will be updated when they do.