Minister for Power Division Omar Ayub Khan has revealed that a Saudi power producing company, ACWA Power, will invest $4 billion in the country’s renewable energy sector.
While briefing the national assembly, he stated that ACWA Power will invest in Balochistan’s energy sector.
Omar said that generating cheap electricity by utilizing indigenous renewable energy resources like wind, solar, waste to energy biomass is among the top priorities of the government. He said the Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) has been pursuing the development of alternative and renewable energy-based power generation projects through private investors under the Renewable Energy Policy 2006 on the IPP model.
Significant progress has been made in exploiting the wind, solar and biomass/bagasse potential available in the country, multiple power generation projects based on these resources are operational and many are in the pipeline, he added.
A new Alternative Renewal Energy Policy 2019 has been formulated by the government that has been approved by the federal cabinet and submitted for approval from CCI. The policy targets a higher share of alternative energy in the energy mix, up to 20 percent by 2025 and 30 percent by 2030.
The scope of the policy also includes the development of waste-to-energy projects in the country utilizing municipal solid waste. He said that international and local companies can pursue these energy projects.
The minister said the tariff has been modified in phases as determined by the NEPRA but the present government had protected the interest of domestic consumers by up to 300 units.
He said the previous government did not take any steps for enhancement of rates from 2016 as per tariff structure.
Parliamentary Secretary for Petroleum Khial Zaman Orakzai, while responding to a question related to his ministry, said that petrol was reportedly being sold openly through “Dabba stations” especially in rural areas which is illegal. Action against such illegal stations is in the domain of Chief Inspector of Explosive (CIE) along with local/district administration under the Petroleum Rules 1937 read with Petroleum Act 1934, he added.
He said Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) had reported that the company is ensuring an uninterrupted gas supply with adequate pressure to Quetta, Mastung, and Kalat. The company repeatedly removes illegal connections from supply and distribution pipelines but the people reconnect their illegal connections again.
He said that gas is being stolen from these illegal connections and due to crude puncturing of the company’s main pipeline, gas leakages are also occurring. Furthermore, the company is undertaking pressure profiling on a daily basis but the locals are also damaging the company’s Pressure Regulator Stations at Kadkucha and Khaliq Abad.
