Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Omar Ayub Khan has emphasised that the 5th Extension of Tarbela hydropower project will help meet rapidly increasing requirement of water and electricity in the country. “It will also improve energy security by increasing the share of clean and affordable energy in the country’s energy mix,” he added, according to a statement issued on Monday.…
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The government on Monday asked the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to immediately approve first part of its three-phased subsidy rationalisation plan envisaging creation of four new tariff slabs and a slight expansion in the definition of lifeline consumers to 100 units per month for gradual reduction of electricity subsidies. Nepra conducted the public hearing on the subsidy rationalisation…
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The World Bank has, reportedly, conveyed its serious reservations to the top government authorities for not honouring their commitment regarding increase in electricity tariff as per the February 2021 agreement, and seeking a new deadline for a hike in base tariff, well-informed sources told Business Recorder. The PTI government, sources said, has increased electricity tariff by 40 per cent since…
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Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Power and Petroleum Tabish Gauhar has decided to squeeze his role up to giving his advice as a technocrat to the government for policy level decisions and energy sector reforms. He also started avoiding attending crucial meetings held on the operational level. According to the top sources at the Energy Ministry, Tabish Gauhar, if…
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The debate on premature de-industrialisation in developing economies hinges on the premise that open trade, elimination of protective tariffs and withdrawal of subsidies are harmful for local industries. In the case of auto policy, the proponents of this debate devised import substitution policies, which led to the deletion programme. Thus, while it helped local auto parts industry to develop, it…
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Trump rolled that back to 1.5 pc per year and added another year to the rules. Biden’s plan requires 10pc emissions reductions in 2023 and 5pc every year after that through 2026. Trump’s standards ended with the fleet averaging about 29 miles per gallon (mpg) in real-world driving. The Biden rule should be close to the Obama mileage requirement, about…
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The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) has urged the public representatives and government to come up with policy guidelines for competition-based development and expansion of national grid and new residential gas connection in view of the expiry of monopoly of the two gas companies — Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited. “Please be advised…
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France’s top administrative court has fined the government a record sum for failing to reduce air pollution to acceptable levels. The Council of State on Wednesday slapped its highest fine ever, 10 million euros, on President Emmanuel Macron’s government, warning it would do so again within months if the authorities fail to act quickly to combat smog. Announcing the record…
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What would it take to maximize returns from the ongoing deregulation and run the overall gas sector on a sustainable basis? In order to maximize returns from private sector involvement and ensure sustainability of the overall natural gas sector, it is important to first adopt a holistic approach to resolve the deep-rooted structural and operational challenges. Underpricing of the fuel…
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As the petroleum sector circular debt stands at a whopping Rs1.6 trillion or 3.35 percent of GDP, the government has another plan to create fiscal breathing space for the entities gasping for cash, according to official documents. With petroleum sector circular debt hovering over Rs1.6 trillion including Rs1.1 trillion principal plus Rs500 billion late payment surcharge, Ministry of Energy has…
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