Federal Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, met with a delegation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) led by Leah Gutierrez, Director General of the Central and West Asia Department.<\/p>\n
The Minister welcomed the delegation and thanked them for their visit. Leah Gutierrez noted that this was her first visit to Pakistan in her current role and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to engage with the Power Division.<\/p>\n
During the meeting, the Minister briefed the delegation on the key challenges facing Pakistan\u2019s power sector, including financing constraints, issues related to rupee cover, and high upfront costs. He emphasized that the government is engaging local investors through the Pakistan Business Council to attract private investment in the power transmission sector and to improve market visibility.<\/p>\n
Highlighting ongoing reforms, the Minister shared progress on transmission projects aligned with the Integrated Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP). He stated that excess power capacity, which is no longer needed, has been removed, reaffirming that the government will not procure additional power and is moving towards a competitive electricity market.<\/p>\n
The Minister also noted that Pakistan has already transitioned around 20 GW to clean energy. Despite this progress, no dedicated financing had been provided for the shift, nor for grid stability. He stressed that coordinated efforts, supported by adequate financing, are now required to maintain grid stability.<\/p>\n
He shared details of the Energy Surplus Package, introduced to increase electricity demand and encourage higher power offtake by the private sector. The Minister requested ADB\u2019s support in financing, addressing debt repayment challenges, and building confidence among private investors. He also informed the delegation about an upcoming feasibility report aimed at private investors and plans to roll out smart meters under a PPP model to improve efficiency and integrate technology.<\/p>\n
Leah Gutierrez expressed ADB\u2019s interest in supporting smart metering initiatives and highlighted the Bank\u2019s expertise in public-private partnerships and technology integration. She also showed interest in supporting the Integrated Energy Plan and serving as a transitional advisor on PPP frameworks. She noted that ADB\u2019s sovereign and non-sovereign operations operate under one platform, enabling the Bank to provide end-to-end solutions.<\/p>\n
The Minister thanked the Asian Development Bank for its continued support and partnership, appreciating the Bank\u2019s consistent engagement with Pakistan\u2019s power sector reforms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Federal Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari, met with a delegation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) led by Leah Gutierrez, Director General of the Central and West Asia Department. The Minister welcomed the delegation and thanked them for their visit. Leah Gutierrez noted that this was her first visit to Pakistan in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":67881,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30,16],"tags":[103],"ppma_author":[213],"class_list":{"0":"post-69704","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-latest","8":"category-pakistan","9":"tag-top-stories"},"yoast_head":"\n