LHASA -- A solar power project is expected to bring electricity to villages in remote regions of Southwest China's Tibet autonomous region, marking one of the final steps in the government's efforts to provide electricity to all rural Tibetans, a government official said Monday.

Liu Qinghong, an official with Tibet's Development and Reform Commission, said solar panels will be installed in 1,630 villages in Tibet by the year's end, bringing power for the first time to schools, monasteries, public venues and homes in remote Tibet.

The "Golden Sun" solar project, estimated to cost 1 billion yuan ($157.5 million), started in 2008. The government has pushed for full power coverage in Tibet by extending major grids, building small hydropower stations and installing solar panels in remote areas.