New energy policy ‘in final stages’

Minister Awais Leghari claims full participation of provinces

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power Awais Khan Leghari has said that the National Electricity Plan and the government’s new energy policy are in the final stages, being developed with full participation of the provinces.

“The plan will be of utmost importance” in determining the demand and supply situation in the country, said the minister while presiding over the 113th meeting of the Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) held in Islamabad.

He said the plan would play a major role in determining the future sources of power generation as well as tariffs which would be based on international competitive bidding.



He directed the sponsors to pursue their projects so that they were completed on time, adding that the practice of granting extensions should be avoided so that the plan for capacity addition was not disturbed.

In the meeting, the board also approved execution of implementation agreement with the 660kV HVDC Matiari-Lahore Transmission Line Project, consequently allowing the PPIB to execute the agreement for timely implementation of the project.

The board also allowed extension in financial close date of 1320 MW Imported Coal-based Power Project at Hub without affecting the synchronisation date of the first unit.



The minister and board members expressed their satisfaction on the progress of the ongoing projects being handled by the board, and urged it to keep him updated on the progress of the said projects.

Leghari said that there were other aspects of the energy crisis which the government was tackling on war footings, including constraints in the transmission segment of the power sector, inefficiencies in the distribution system, the circular debt burden and inadequate checks on power theft.

The meeting was also attended by State Minister for Power Abid Sher Ali as well as senior federal and provincial government officers.