World Bank Funded Sindh Solar Energy Project Facing Delays

 

World Bank Funded Sindh Solar Energy Project Facing Delays.

The progress of the Sindh Solar Energy Project, funded by the World Bank, has been significantly delayed, resulting in a slow disbursement of funds. 

Official records indicate that only 23 percent of the total $100 million has been disbursed, amounting to $21.83 million. The project, approved by the World Bank's Board of Executive Directors in 2018, faced substantial setbacks due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions. As a result, tangible outcomes have been achieved only in one of the four project components. 

To address these challenges, the project closing date has been extended to July 31, 2025. While some progress has been made in Component 2, including the commissioning of 29 sites for solar power installation on public hospital rooftops, other components, such as solar home system sales, have stalled since late 2021 and 2022.

 Efforts are underway to initiate competitive bidding for three sites through separate Request for Proposals, and discussions are ongoing to establish contractual arrangements for operations and maintenance.