Islamabad: The Federal Minister for Power Omar Ayub Khan stated that the country’s power sector had an investment potential of more than USD 80 billion, a news source reported. Speaking at a five-day inaugural training programme on Pakistan’s power regulatory regime, the minister added that the upgrading, generation, and transmission segments had all shown potential for investment.
The National Electric Power Regularity Authority (NEPRA) organised the event. The purpose of the training programme was to exchange knowledge, and share the experience of Pakistan’s regulatory professionals with the Afghan delegates.
Addressing the event, Ayub revealed that Pakistan was receiving foreign direct investment (FDI), since a large number of companies were willing to invest in the power sector.
The power minister said that the power generation segment had indicated an investment potential worth USD 40 billion. He also referred to the incumbent government’s decision to increase the power generation capacity to 42,000 megawatts (MWs) by 2030. He added that the transmission segment had a potential for an investment worth USD 20 billion.
He informed the participants of the event that they were preparing a draft for a new renewable energy policy. He said that under this policy, they would increase the share of renewable energy in the total energy mix to 20% by 2025, and to 30% by 2030. He added they plan to exploit domestic resources in order to change the current energy mix that utilises 60% of imported fuel.
Ayub opined that improvements in the power productions sector would enhance the socio-economic conditions of the people. He informed the delegates that they were placing special focus on net-metering and wheeling under the new energy policy. He added that during the next summer, they would transmit 26,000MW electricity.
