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Sigh of relief: NEPRA notifies Rs2.32 per unit cut in power tariff

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  • Decision comes a day after govt dropped “petrol bomb” on people.
  • NEPRA also okays reduction of Rs10.8 per unit for KE consumers.
  • Domestic consumers who use more than 300 units will get benefit.

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Thursday notified a reduction of Rs2.32 per unit for Ex-WAPDA distribution companies (XWDISCOs) consumers on account of fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for December 2022.

The development comes a day after the federal government dropped a “petrol bomb” on the masses by increasing the price to Rs272 per litre after a hike of Rs22.20. Meanwhile, natural gas tariff was increased sharply by up to 112% for consumers.

The negative power tariff adjustment will give some breathing space to the inflation-weary people reeling from the impact of sky-high petrol and gas prices.

According to a notification issued in this regard, the NEPRA directed all XWDiscos to show the adjustment separately in the consumer’s bills for February.

This shall apply to all consumer categories except:

  • Lifelines consumers
  • Domestic consumers who consume up to 300 units
  • Agriculture consumers
  • Electric vehicle charging stations

It was also clarified that the negative adjustment on account of monthly FCA applies to domestic consumers having Time of Use (ToU) metres irrespective of their consumption level.

“The said adjustment shall be shown separately in the consumers’ bills on the basis of units billed to the consumers in the month of December 2022,” it read.

The FCA is based on changes in the global prices of fuel and is passed on to consumers under the prescribed rules and regulations of NEPRA and the government of Pakistan.

The recommendation proposed by the power distribution companies is approved by NEPRA after a thorough review of the data provided for a month during which the fuel charges were recovered from the consumers.

Earlier, the power regulator also notified a reduction of Rs10.8 per unit for the K-Electric consumers for the month of December 2022 which would also be reflected in the consumer bills of February 2023.

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Finance Minister Meets With World Leaders at World Economic Forum in Davos

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During his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has met with officials of organisations and leaders of many nations.
Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor, Muhammad Younas, met with Mohammad Aurangzeb.
On the fringes of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2025 Opening Banquet, there was an informal meeting.
Additionally, the Finance Minister met with Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Both leaders discussed economic cooperation and bilateral ties.
Muhammad Aurangzeb also had a meeting with Dp World’s Rizwan Soomro and Yuvraj Narayan.
They talked about how to strengthen Pakistan’s logistics and infrastructure systems to support trade.
“The Pakistani government is committed to advancing joint projects and values partnerships in both business-to-business and business-to-government cooperation,” the finance minister added.

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China will establish a $250 million EV production facility in Pakistan.

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As Islamabad looks to Beijing to work with it to establish industrial zones for the production of electronic vehicles, the media said Wednesday that China’s ADM Group would invest $250 million to establish an electric vehicle manufacturing unit in Pakistan.

With an even more ambitious target of 90 percent by 2040, the Pakistani government established the National Electric Vehicles Policy (NEVP) in 2019 with the goal of having 30 percent of all passenger cars and heavy-duty trucks be electric by 2030.

By 2030, the policy aimed to achieve 50% of new sales for two- and three-wheelers and buses, and by 2040, 90%.

As part of the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s efforts to draw in foreign investment, Radio Pakistan reported that the Chinese company ADM Group had announced an investment of $250 million to establish an EV manufacturing plant in Pakistan.

“The switch to EVs is anticipated to save billions of dollars by reducing the cost of fuel imports.”

More than 3,000 electric vehicle charging stations will be installed throughout Pakistan, a South Asian nation, as part of ADM Group’s $350 million investment in the EV industry last year.

Pakistan announced earlier this month that, as part of its ongoing energy sector reform aimed at increasing demand, it would reduce the power rate for operators of electric vehicle charging stations by 45 percent.

Additionally, financial programs for e-bikes and the conversion of gasoline-powered two- and three-wheeled vehicles are planned by the government.

On January 15, the government approved a lower tariff of 39.70 rupees ($0.14) per unit, which will take effect in a month. The previous tariff was 71.10 rupees.

The government anticipates that investors in the industry will see an internal rate of return of over 20 percent.

There are currently over 30 million two- and three-wheeled cars in Pakistan, and they use more than $5 billion worth of petroleum each year, according to a report that Power Ministry adviser Ammar Habib Khan provided to the government and that was covered by Reuters.

The paper estimates that the ministry will save around $165 million in gasoline import expenses each year by converting 1 million two-wheelers to electric motorcycles in a first phase, at an estimated net cost of 40,000 rupees per bike.

In September, BYD Pakistan, a joint venture between China’s BYD and the Pakistani automaker Mega Motors, informed Reuters that, in accordance with international goals, up to 50% of all vehicles purchased in Pakistan by 2030 will be electrified in some way.

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The government has introduced a comprehensive strategy to enhance industrial investment.

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Authorities are poised to execute an ambitious investment promotion strategy through a collaborative initiative between the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) and the Pakistan Administrative Staff College, aiming for substantial enhancements in industrial investment and economic development.

The Special Investment Facilitation Center (SIFC) will be instrumental in this transformative drive by establishing “Business Facilitation Centers” aimed at optimizing investment processes and attracting both domestic and foreign capital.

Principal features of the comprehensive plan encompass:

  1. Forming collaborative working groups to augment domestic and international investment prospects
  2. Formulating a comprehensive strategy to eradicate obstacles to industrial development
  3. Formulating a novel model to tackle issues in the execution of industrial projects
  4. Striving to enhance Pakistan’s international business rating by 50 points
    Targeting $20 billion in foreign industrial investments within the next five years.

The approach prioritizes digital transformation to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the investment process. SIFC’s strategy emphasizes fostering a favorable atmosphere for investors by streamlining bureaucratic processes and offering strategic assistance.

National administration officers are conducting ongoing study to identify and mitigate potential investment barriers, while a specialized research group is formulating a comprehensive strategy to solve current hurdles in industrial growth.

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