AT a time when conflicting reports appear on an almost daily basis about plans of the Federal Government to either impose taxes on solar power or change the net metering policy, especially for new customers, the Sindh Government has won hearts of the people by unequivocally declaring it would not allow taxes to be imposed on solar power. Sindh Energy Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah announced on Friday that the provincial government would establish solar parks to provide energy to the national grid and also plans to provide free of cost electricity to those consuming up to one hundred units a month.
This is, indeed, a prudent approach of the Sindh Government vis-à-vis solar power, which is not only cheaper but also environment friendly. We have been emphasizing in these columns time and again that instead of visualizing retrogressive steps like imposition of taxes, fifty percent reduction of rate of solar power purchased from net metering customers and gross metering, the Federal and Provincial Governments should promote solar power by subsidizing solar system components and establish their own solar power plants to increase the ratio of cheaper electricity to the national energy mix. This is the only viable solution to the challenges facing the power sector like load-shedding and unsustainable tariff. The Sindh Government is already providing cheaper electricity to the national grid particularly through Thar coal and has announced landmark projects for generation of significant solar power. For this purpose, 600 acres of land has been earmarked each for Malir and West District solar parks besides establishment of another park at Jamshoro. There is dire need to build consensus on ways and means to bring down the existing exploitative power tariff down to a reasonable level.
