The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Power Information Technology Company (PITC) to carry out research and development on smart grid technologies designed to improve energy use.
During the signing ceremony, the United States (US) Consul General Colleen Crenwelge was also present and while appreciating this partnership he said, “Advanced technologies are making electricity more affordable, reliable, and sustainable. We are proud to work with Pakistan as it builds technological capacity and improves the energy sector, and we hope to see growing private sector participation and investment in this endeavor”.
Utilizing the Smart Grid IT laboratory established at PITC with the help of US government support, LUMS and PITC will perform research and test smart grid technologies to showcase the benefits of these technologies to distribution and transmission companies.
This partnership will further provide opportunities for LUMS researchers to exchange research information on new developments with the Pakistani government. The managing director of the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO), Waseem Akhtar said, “Partnering with LUMS will stimulate research and development collaboration between the Pakistani government and local universities while enhancing local learning and technology transfer”.
The signing ceremony for MoU for arranged by the Sustainable Energy for Pakistan Project, which is a four-year United States Agency for International Development’s (USAID) technical assistance project to support the Pakistani government’s efforts to deliver financially stable energy services.
USAID is currently providing technical and financial assistance to Pakistan’s 10 government-owned electricity distribution companies to help them reduce losses, improve financial viability and to streamline business processes in the country.
Shahid Masud who is the acting VICE Chancellor of LUMS remarked, “The Smart Grid IT Laboratory will help us achieve the university’s mission of effectively addressing power sector needs and contributing directly to Pakistan’s economic development.”
LUMS previously also partnered with OLX, which is one the leading online marketplaces in Pakistan to help the brightest students in Data Analytics to transition from academia to industry. OLX will work with LUMS on multiple projects headed by Dr. Muhammad Adeel Zafar and Dr. Fareed Zaffar to help in solving an array of unique business data problems.
