Parliament of Pakistan became first in world to run entirely on solar power

The Parliament of Pakistan on 23 February 2016 became the world’s first to run fully on solar power.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the solar power system, which provides 62 MW to the parliament and a surplus 18 MW to the national grid.

Key facts related to the project

• The project was first announced in 2014.

• The venture was funded by China as an act of friendship with the solar power plant costing around $55 million. It was officially launched during President Xi Jinping’s visit in 2015.

• The project was completed in seven months at a cost of 280.61 million rupees.

• The solar plant will help the parliament save around 12 million rupees in electricity bills every year.

• It is the first project of its kind in a public building in Pakistan.

About Parliament of Pakistan

• The Parliament of Pakistan is officially known as the Majlis-e-Shoora, which is the federal and supreme legislative body of Pakistan.

• It is a bicameral federal legislature that consists of the Senate as upper house and the National Assembly, as lower houses.

• According to the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President of Pakistan is also a component of the Parliament.

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