Task Force Proposes Shift to Take-and-Pay Model for IPPs to Ease Consumer Burden

power-subsidy

ISLAMABAD: A task force, formed by the prime minister to address capacity payments to Independent Power Producers (IPPs), has proposed transitioning from the current capacity-based payment model to a take-and-pay system. This change aims to relieve electricity consumers from paying for non-operating power plants, sources revealed on Friday. According to insiders, capacity payments currently make up 70% of the total…

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NEPRA Approves Rs1.75 per Unit Tariff Hike for DISCOs, K-Electric

NEPRA-KE

ISLAMABAD – The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has approved an additional charge of Rs1.75 per unit for state-owned distribution companies (DISCOs) and K-Electric, effective over the next three months, to recover Rs43.23 billion through quarterly tariff adjustments. This increase, set for the fourth quarter of FY 2023-24 (April-June 2024), comes after a public hearing on August 26, presided…

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Govt Imposes Strict Austerity Measures: Ban on Vehicle Purchases, Overseas Medical Treatment

Vehicle-Purchases

ISLAMABAD – In a significant move aimed at curbing public expenditure, the federal government has imposed a comprehensive ban on specific spending, including the purchase of new vehicles and state-funded medical treatment abroad. This follows a Finance Division notification issued this week, as the government grapples with economic pressures and criticism over its fiscal policies. The austerity measures are part…

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Petrol, Diesel Prices Set for Fourth Consecutive Cut: Rs10 per Litre Drop Expected

Petroleum-prices

ISLAMABAD – For the fourth consecutive fortnight, petrol and high-speed diesel (HSD) prices are expected to decrease by approximately Rs10 per litre starting from September 15, thanks to a recent drop in international oil prices. However, the final reduction could be smaller if the government increases the petroleum levy to offset revenue shortfalls. Informed sources report that international petrol and…

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Major Oil and Gas Reserves Found in Pakistani Waters: A Game Changer for the Energy Sector

Oil-Gas

KARACHI – In a potentially transformative development for Pakistan’s energy sector, significant oil and gas reserves have been discovered in the country’s territorial waters. A senior security official revealed that a three-year survey conducted in collaboration with a “friendly country” confirmed the presence of these substantial deposits. The discovery, hailed as a potential game-changer for the nation’s economy, could reduce…

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NA Informed of Rs296 Billion Net Hydel Profit Payments to Provinces Over 10 Years

Bhasha-Dam

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly was informed on Thursday that a total of Rs296 billion has been paid to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in net hydel profit over the last decade. Responding during the question hour, Minister for Water Resources Musadik Malik detailed that Rs216 billion had been paid to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Rs73.45 billion to Punjab, and Rs6.4…

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China Resists Renegotiation of Capacity Tariff for IPPs Amid Pakistan’s $1 Billion Payment Delay

China-Pakistan

KARACHI: China has shown reluctance to renegotiate the capacity tariff agreements for Chinese Independent Power Producers (IPPs) operating under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), citing delayed payments from Pakistan. Speaking at an event hosted by the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS), Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong emphasized that the capacity tariff was part of a universal arrangement made by…

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Chinese Lenders Agree to Transition IPPs to Daily SOFR, Reject Term SOFR

power-gride

ISLAMABAD: In ongoing discussions regarding the transition from the London Inter-bank Offered Rate (LIBOR) to the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), Chinese lenders financing Independent Power Producers (IPPs) under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) have agreed to adopt daily SOFR but rejected the Term SOFR option. During a suo motu hearing by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), it…

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Falling Oil Prices to Ease Pakistan’s Import Bill and Strengthen Forex Reserves

russia-oil

KARACHI: Pakistan’s external economy is benefiting from a 20% drop in global crude oil prices, as the reduced cost helps lower the import bill, build foreign reserves, and enhance the country’s debt repayment capacity. A report by JS Global titled “Oil Price Downturn – A Familiar Safety Net” highlights that global crude prices have fallen by $17 per barrel since…

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Govt Orders FIRs Against Grid Station Takeovers in KP

Power-Electric

ISLAMABAD: After months of cautious restraint, the federal government has decided to initiate legal action against the forced takeovers of grid stations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), involving the deployment of Frontier Constabulary (FC) personnel to safeguard power infrastructure. Tensions between the federal PML-N government and KP’s PTI-led administration have escalated since the general election, with the issue being a major…

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