ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power Engr. Khurram Dastagir Khan has said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will announce the new Solar Energy Policy on August 01.

Addressing a news conference here in Islamabad on Thursday, he said the Ministry of Power gave a detailed briefing to the prime Minister on the policy. He said under the policy solar plants will be installed alongside thermal plants at seven thermal plant sites in the country. He said this will help lower cost of electricity.

The Minister said all government buildings will be shifted on solar power just like the Parliament building which is already working on solar power. He said tube wells will also be shifted on solar power and in the first phase these will be diesel run tube wells.

About the current situation of load shedding, he said our electricity production is more than 3800 megawatts right now. He said Lucky coal power plant has started working after repair and improvement in supply of coal to other coal fired power plants will further reduce load shedding in the country.