CCoE approves proposal to discontinue natural gas supply for captive power generation.

ISLAMABAD -- The Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) on Thursday approved the power division's proposal of Petroleum Division for moratorium/discontinuation of natural gas supply for captive power generation.

The meeting of the committee was held here under the Chairmanship of Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar.

The meeting was informed that the proposal only applied to industries which were connected to the power grid and therefore had an alternative electricity source.

Petroleum Division briefed the committee that gas will continue to be supplied to all those industries where gas is being utilized as integral part of the process, or where primary utilization is not for power generation.

The new measure will be implemented in a way that no disruption is faced by any industry. Industry not currently connected to the power grid, will be encouraged to shift from natural gas based captive power generation to the grid.

The measures would, in the short term, make around 150MMCFD natural gas available for use in the power sector, which will replace expensive power generation on back up fuels.

In the long term, around 3,000MW load is expected to move to the power grid, which will help to reduce average cost of power as well as help in reducing circular debt buildup.

Petroleum Division emphasized that this measures would increase the overall utilization efficiency of the scarce natural resource as large power plants are at least 30 %...