ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday launched the fully solar-powered Green Parliament project, making the parliament building world’s first-ever equipped with such facility.
The 1.8 Mega Watt plant has been completed under a grant provided by China as an alternative source of energy to meet electricity needs of the Parliament House.
Prime Minister Sharif formally inaugurated the project here at the Parliament House by pressing the button linked to the network of solar panels.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said Green Parliament project was a milestone in overcoming the shortage of electricity in the country.
Nawaz Sharif called upon the public and private sectors to follow the exemplary project and work on similar projects utilizing the solar power.
He expressed hoped that the government in its term of office would overcome the shortage of electricity and added that he was personally monitoring the ongoing power projects.
He thanked China for its support in materialization of the Green Parliament Project and termed it a testimony of the solid friendship between the two countries.
The Prime Minister also lauded the efforts of the Chairman Senate and the Speaker National Assembly for taking personal interest in the completion of project.
Speaker National Assembly Ayaz Sadiq said the project was a significant addition to the government’s projects of overcoming electricity crisis in the country.
He said the solar power plant would meet the building’s power needs and set a precedent for others to switch to renewable sources of energy.
Chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani, Chinese ambassador Sun Weidong, ministers and parliamentarians were present.
An array of solar panels has been installed in the premises of the parliament building that has also been linked to the national grid to pass on the surplus electricity.
The Parliament House has also got the first license of net metering.
The initiative is environment friendly with no fuel expenses and has also zeroed the electricity bill of the Parliament House.
Source: APP