LAHORE: Punjab is evaluating its potential participation in Pakistan’s first 400-megawatt (MW) Wheeling Auction as the province explores opportunities under the competitive electricity market and open-access wheeling framework.
A meeting was held at the Punjab Energy Department under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister for Energy Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar to review the province’s strategy regarding the auction and the broader implications of open-access wheeling.
Secretary Energy Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti and other relevant officials attended the meeting, while Sania Owais, Managing Director Punjab Power Development Company (PPDC), briefed the participants on key aspects of the initiative.
The meeting reviewed Punjab’s potential participation in the 400MW auction, with discussions focusing on electricity tariffs, grid charges, commercial viability and bidding strategy, among other matters.
To support the province’s assessment and decision-making process, Punjab Financial Advisory Services (PFAS) has been engaged as an external financial adviser.
Speaking at the meeting, Provincial Energy Minister Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar said that open-access wheeling represents an important step towards a more transparent, competitive and dynamic electricity market in Pakistan.
He said the initiative could create opportunities for Punjab to secure reliable and competitively priced electricity for industrial consumers, while also enabling the province to derive greater economic value from its expanding clean-energy portfolio.
The meeting marks a significant step in Punjab’s assessment of emerging power-market reforms and their potential implications for the province’s industrial and economic development.
