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Express Tribune
29-01-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Govt employees receive free electricity worth Rs6,000 monthly: Energy minister
Listen to article Power sector employees receive Rs6,000 worth of free electricity each month, Energy Minister Awais Leghari revealed on Wednesday, as the government explores legal avenues to end the privilege. Speaking to journalists in Islamabad, Leghari stated that the government cannot currently halt free electricity for power division and generation company employees due to ongoing legal cases. "We have approached the Attorney General's Office to expedite the resolution of these cases so that we can put an end to free electricity," he said. Leghari proposed increasing salaries as a replacement for free power benefits and noted that the government is working on strategies to provide surplus electricity at lower rates. Discussing solar net metering, the minister warned that it has imposed an additional Rs103 billion burden on regular consumers. "As solarisation increases, the financial strain on ordinary consumers grows, as we are forced to buy expensive electricity through net metering," he explained. The government, he added, aims to ensure that net metering investors recover their costs within four years while managing the impact on general consumers. Govt to auction surplus electricity to industries On Tuesday, Leghari announced the government's plan to auction surplus electricity to industries. This initiative, aimed at stimulating industrial growth and creating employment opportunities, was detailed in a press statement by the Ministry of Energy on Tuesday. According to the statement, Leghari emphasised that surplus electricity would be made available competitively to maximise benefits for the economy and industrial sector. The minister also highlighted the National Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy, which seeks to promote the adoption of electric vehicles across Pakistan. He stated that electricity tariffs for EV charging stations had been significantly reduced to make EVs more affordable and accessible. This step, he said, aligns with the government's vision of promoting sustainable energy solutions and reducing environmental impact.
Express Tribune
28-01-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Govt to auction surplus electricity to industries
Listen to article ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power Sardar Awais Leghari, addressing an event in Islamabad, announced the government's plan to auction surplus electricity to industries. This initiative, aimed at stimulating industrial growth and creating employment opportunities, was detailed in a press statement by the Ministry of Energy on Tuesday. According to the statement, Leghari emphasised that surplus electricity would be made available competitively to maximise benefits for the economy and industrial sector. The minister also highlighted the National Electric Vehicle (EV) Policy, which seeks to promote the adoption of electric vehicles across Pakistan. He stated that electricity tariffs for EV charging stations had been significantly reduced to make EVs more affordable and accessible. This step, he said, aligns with the government's vision of promoting sustainable energy solutions and reducing environmental impact. Leghari pointed to several other reforms in the energy sector, including efforts to reduce electricity tariffs, eliminate circular debt, and address inefficiencies in the pricing system. He described the current pricing mechanism as unsustainable. Agreements with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), he said, are being revised to ensure transparency and sustainability. Similar revisions will follow for government-owned IPPs in the next phase. The minister announced that by 2025, the government would no longer oversee electricity trade. Instead, consumers and power companies will directly negotiate electricity purchases, fostering competition and benefiting stakeholders. Industrial estates and economic zones, he added, will soon manage their own power distribution systems, reducing inefficiencies and encouraging industrial activity. He also mentioned the ongoing privatisation of electricity distribution companies, noting that efforts are being made to reduce the tax burden on consumers. Discussing coal-based power plants operated by Chinese companies, Leghari stated that these plants would transition from imported coal to locally mined coal from the Thar region. This shift aims to reduce import costs and promote the use of domestic resources, bolstering the local economy. In a separate statement, the Ministry of Energy shared details of Leghari's meeting with US Ambassador Natalie A Baker. Leghari apprised Baker of recent reforms that have improved the power sector. He emphasised the government's policy of appointing independent boards of directors for state-owned enterprises to ensure merit-based decisions. Baker invited Leghari to the Energy Security Dialogue in Washington, emphasising the value of his participation.
