To alleviate the challenges posed by the electricity shortage in the area, Prince Rahim Aga Khan inaugurated two solar power plants in Hunza on Sunday.
During his visit to Pakistan, Prince Rahim initiated the development of the Duiker Solar Power Plant Phase II and the Nasirabad Solar Power Plant, with a combined capacity of 3.6 Megawatt Peak (MWp).
The first phase of the Duiker plant, operational since November 2023, has a generation capacity of 1MWp, increasing daily power availability for over 11,000 people. Phase II aims to expand this capacity to 1.6MWp and enhance battery storage from 0.6MWh to 1MWh, providing electricity to an additional 8,760 individuals. Importantly, Duiker’s transition from diesel power generation is projected to reduce annual CO2 emissions by 1,100 tonnes.
Additionally, a 2MWp solar power plant with 1MWh battery storage will be constructed in Nasirabad, serving an extra 23,400 people. Expected to be operational by June 2025, this project is funded by NPAK Energy Limited, a subsidiary of Industrial Promotion Services, under the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development, with an investment of $6 million.
Project financing, comprising equity, sustainable debt, and grants, has secured an additional $14 million from development partners to enhance the region’s energy infrastructure.
Over the next five years, NPAK Energy aims to attract further investments in clean, sustainable electricity sources across Hunza and its surroundings, addressing the area’s energy deficit while contributing to global climate change mitigation efforts.
