Month: April 2021

Islamabad: Pakistan government has launched mobile vaccination service to get the coronavirus vaccine to under served communities and ramp up vaccination amid the spike in cases. The mobile coronavirus unit aims to reach some of the country’s most vulnerable residents, particularly senior citizens above 80 years of age and people with disabilities, directly in their homes. The service is initially available in four cities of Punjab province including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad and Multan. Punjab government is the first in the country to utilize mobile vans to deliver vaccines to the…

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Energy. Omar Ayub Khan Monday said that $6.5 billion are being thrown into ‘hellfire’ every year to import energy under the head of guaranteed capacity payments – a major source of accumulation of the circular debt – singed by the previous government. Speaking in National Assembly during question hour, Omar said that the annual capacity payments to Independent Power Producers (IPPs) would reach Rs1,455 billion in 2023, which he contended was mainly to faulty agreement signed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). Ayub continued that the annual…

The Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) came up with the inflation numbers for March 2021 last week, which showed respite in electricity prices. That is a result of the PBS now rightly acknowledging the reality of monthly Fuel Charge Adjustment (FCA) in the tariff calculation methodology. The PBS still does not have it sorted out to do it right when it comes to negative monthly adjustments, as it is a different ball game, which puts the lower consumption tariffs at a disadvantage. For now, the PBS calculation of 8 percent…

PESHAWAR: The Centre for Advanced Studies and Energy of the University of Engineering and Technology, Peshawar, has developed solar panels at half the price of the existing silicon ones with the help of international partners by using the third generation solar photovoltaic technology. The lightweight and flexible panels will be formally unveiled this week, principal investigator of the project at the UET Dr Najeebullah told Dawn. Prof Han of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China, and Dr Toby Meyer of Solaronixmix, Switzerland, were also part of the initiative. Dr…

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Monday determined about 27.5 per cent reduction in average bulk hydroelectric tariff of the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to ensure its revenue stream at Rs124 billion for fiscal year 2020-21. The bulk hydropower tariff at which Wapda sells its power generation from all hydropower stations to the Central Power Purchasing Agency has been determined at Rs4.11 per unit for FY2020-21 against Rs5.67 fixed in FY2017-18. The determination will not have a direct impact on consumer-end tariff because it will…