New policy: Businessmen for say in energy policy

ICCI president appreciated the government move to privatise power generation.

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has called upon the government to take the business community on board before finalising the National Energy Policy 2013-18. ICCI President Zafar Bakhtawari said that the new energy policy has set targets of ending the growing electricity supply gap and changing energy mix to cut costs during a period of four to five years, which appear too ambitious to achieve. Achieving these targets also needs massive investment of $25-30 billion. The government should develop public-private partnerships as it will not be possible to end supply gap or change the energy mix without huge investment, added Bakhtawari. He appreciated the government move to privatise power generation and distribution companies as it will bring improvement in their working. He anticipated that privatising power sector would also create a healthy competition and reduce power tariffs.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 30^th, 2013.

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