Month: January 2023

Independent Power Producers (IPPs) will inform their six months’ requirement of coal to Thar Coal Energy Board,” NEPRA instructed. “In case of non-availability of required coal, they will be eligible to import it.” The coal will be purchased and sold in Pakistani rupee, power regulator said. “Minimum coal import order will not be lesser than 5,000 tons,” it added. The regulatory authority had earlier asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to set up a coal authority to deal with coal imports for consumption in coal-fired power plants. According the NEPRA revised…

Read More

Pakistan’s government is diligently making efforts to overcome the country’s prevailing power crisis. As part of this initiative, the federal government unveiled a new energy-saving initiative. The steps suggested by the government are commendable; however, one step which needs special mention is the intention to introduce e-bikes. If this initiative can achieve the desired results, it will save foreign exchange and help in environmental regeneration. Another high point is the government’s thinking towards promoting work-from-home. Federal Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, while highlighting the benefits of working from home, revealed that if…

Read More

Incorrect diagnosis is at times, worse than no diagnosis at all. More so, if the diagnosis also leads to prescriptions being used. The government ministers, in a star-studded presser, announced a national energy conservation policy, in light of the crisis Pakistan faces today. The plan, if implemented, is slated to save all of Rs62 billion over 12 months. Not sure Pakistan’s problems today revolve around saving a few billions in rupees. Another matter is how the federal government will get its political rivals in two provinces on board. Also, another…

Read More

The total planned investment under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is $62 billion between FY2015 and FY2030, out of which $27.4 billion projects have been realized, with energy sector (power generation, coal mining and transmission lines) representing 76 percent. It covers power generation projects, both fossil fuel and renewable, of about 11 GW. To date, about 5,520 MW energy projects have been completed. More than half of these projects are coal-based power plants, according to an annual report on renewable energy released by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI). The report…

Read More

All agreements for the extraction of Balochistan’s natural resources were signed by “weak and non-political governments”, National Party chief Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said on Wednesday. “Balochistan will not get a 25-35 percent share out of the Reko Diq project. Instead, its share won’t be more than 10 percent. “Like all previous arrangements, the Reko Diq agreement is unjust for the province,” Dr Malik said during an informal discussion with journalists. Dr Malik, a former chief minister, said the Constitution was clear that the people of a province had the…

Read More

In order to enable PSO to remain current in its payment obligations to LNG suppliers as well as to maintain LNG supply chain, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) allowed release of Rs. 10 billion budgeted subsidy to Petroleum Division and allowed GoP guarantee against bank financing upto Rs. 50 billion In order to enable PSO to remain current in its payment obligations to LNG suppliers as well as to maintain LNG supply chain, the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) allowed release of Rs. 10 billion budgeted subsidy to Petroleum Division and…

Read More

Pakistan is a country of 230 million people, a nuclear power, and rich in natural resources but we rank 138 in the world prosperity index and cannot provide quality health and education to our people. With the dwindling reserves, stalled IMF programme, limited bilateral /multilateral inflows and expensive commercial lending to Pakistan, the situation can’t be worst. There is also a lack of vision as how Pakistan can get out of this cycle and stand on its feet. Pakistan roughly generates US$60 billion/year (remittances, exports, little FDI) but need around…

Read More