The government’s decision to dishonour agreements with a dozen power plants may seriously dent its reputation, lead to loss of hard-earned gains of billions of rupees annually besides exposing it to paying over Rs22 billion to power plants to settle international arbitration awards. Six months ago, the government had won significant concessions from the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) by applying…
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Long-running inquiries by government departments into the oil crisis witnessed in June 2020 are hindering foreign direct investment (FDI) in oil marketing companies (OMCs) sector of Pakistan. In a statement on Wednesday, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) President Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo expressed concern over the “unfair practices of government departments and unjust treatment of smaller…
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K-Electric (K-E) has sought a national policy from the regulator to sell power at a comparatively higher price to the people residing in areas where line losses and theft through illegal connections (Kundas) are high and recoveries through monthly billing stand low. The company demanded the policy from the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) ahead of the scheduled end…
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Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Energy and Petroleum Tabish Gauhar, in a letter addressed to Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, has urged that strategies be chalked out and “holistic and structural reforms” made to address energy sector challenges. The four-page letter titled “Beyond The Fire Fighting – Proposed Strategic Workstreams In The Energy Sector”, a copy of which is…
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Reporting about 20 per cent increase in peak summer electricity demand, the government on Wednesday sought approval for an approximately $400 million energy sector loan by the World Bank (WB) by end-September. A senior government official told Dawn that a meeting of WB’s Board of Directors is expected on September 27 and the authorities are making efforts to address outstanding…
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Taking some corrective measures in procurement of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), the government on Wednesday ordered its two entities — Pakistan State Oil and Pakistan LNG Ltd — to make public disclosure of bidding results in a timely manner to ensure transparency. “Both the entities are advised to publish the results of the procurement decisions within 24 hours on their…
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The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has reserved its decision on the requests of K-Electric to increase tariff by Rs6.52 per unit on account of quarterly and monthly adjustments. However, it sought to reduce tariff by Rs1.50 per unit. The Karachi-based power utility had requested to allow an increase of around 37 paisa per unit in its normal tariff…
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Retired Lt Gen Asim Saleem Bajwa was on Tuesday replaced by Khalid Mansoor as the authority to lead the affairs of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. A notification issued by the Prime Minister’s Office said Mansoor had been appointed as Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on CPEC Affairs with immediate effect. The appointment will be in an honorary capacity, it…
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The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) on Tuesday withdrew its notification from a day earlier that showed the purchase price of liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo at $20.055 by the Pakistan State Oil (PSO), saying the petroleum corporation clarified it had scrapped the bid as it was ‘high’ and ‘unacceptable’. The withdrawal of the Ogra notification comes in the…
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The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd has taken strict notice of alleged involvement of some of its officers in disconnecting gas supply to textile mills and issuing frivolous notices to them on lame excuses and pretexts. “I assure you people of uninterrupted gas supply to export oriented industry. I will also take action against all delinquent officials resorting to disconnection…
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