Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday approved a set of electricity projects aimed at ending persistent power disruptions in Gwadar, directing immediate implementation of a comprehensive plan to ensure uninterrupted, affordable and reliable supply for the port city.
Chairing a meeting on power sector initiatives, the prime minister said uninterrupted power would increase national economic activity and strengthen investor confidence, adding that Gwadar must be provided electricity at regional and international standards.
“Uninterrupted electricity supply in Gwadar will enhance national economic activity and investment,” the premier said, instructing all relevant departments to ensure complete coordination.
42% reduction in power disruptions already
Briefing the meeting, Minister for Energy Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said that ongoing measures had already reduced electricity disruptions in Gwadar by 42%, while a plan had been prepared to stabilise voltage levels within the next six months.
He said domestic and commercial consumers would benefit from multiple short- and long-term projects. Among the short-term initiatives, 9.7MW of solar capacity would be installed in major government institutions over the next 8–12 months.
Long-term solar projects
For long-term power stability, a 40MW solar project will be launched for Gwadar, ensuring sustainable electricity supply as industrial activity and population grow. Officials told the meeting that electricity demand in the port city is expected to increase by 30% in the coming years due to expansion of Gwadar Port and urban development.
The prime minister stressed that uninterrupted electricity and modern infrastructure would help transform Gwadar into “one of the world’s best ports” and a future regional economic hub.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar, Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Khan Cheema and other senior officials.
Water and solarisation projects
Separately, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired a high-level meeting which reviewed the Solarisation of Pumping Stations and Desalination Power Plants in Gwadar, a Rs1.9 billion initiative aimed at reducing water-related operating costs. Officials said the project offers a payback period of just 2.7 years, making it both economically and operationally feasible.
The grid stability study for Gwadar has been completed. Deployment of a ±50 MVAR STATCOM at Pasni (132 kV) along with a local generation plant in Gwadar (132 kV) is scheduled between October and December 2026. The minister directed authorities to ensure timely installation of the equipment and accelerate solarisation to address Gwadar’s water and electricity challenges on a sustainable basis.
