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ISLAMABAD, Sep 29 (APP):The Power Division spokesperson on Monday clarified that the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) welcomes debate and constructive criticism to promote transparency, however, some of the claims made by All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) are not based on facts and create a false impression regarding the country’s energy planning.
According to the Power Division spokesperson, the IGCEP 2025-2035 represents a significant shift in Pakistan’s energy strategy, focusing on affordable electricity, transparency, and long-term sustainability. Compared to the previous plans, the revised plan has reduced proposed projects by nearly 7,000 megawatts, ensuring estimated savings of around $17 billion and a reduction in the cost of electricity per unit (kWh) of Rs 4.96. Furthermore, new projects have been selected strictly on a lowest-cost basis, aiming to provide reliable and affordable electricity to the public.
Regarding the criticism of the demand estimate, the spokesperson said that the method of estimating demand is time-tested and has been validated by international experts.
The spokesperson of the Power Division added that this estimate is also compared with the estimate made through the “bottom-up approach”, in which each distribution company (DISCO) estimates the demand at the domestic, industrial and other consumer level in its area. It also includes the effects of solar panels, local power generation, energy conservation programs and new technologies. The system operator combines all these estimates and compares them with the global estimate made from the “regression model” and both the results always remain within acceptable limits as per the grid code.
The spokesperson clarified that the effects of distributed solar energy and alternative sources have been regularly included in the current IGCEP, so this criticism of APTMA is also not correct.
The IGCEP 2025-2035 has increased the reliance on indigenous resources such as hydel, solar, wind and nuclear by eliminating expensive and unnecessary projects, so as to reduce the dependence on imported coal and RLNG and ensure energy security while saving foreign exchange. In addition, in special projects included outside the principle of least cost, their additional costs will have to be borne by the sponsoring institution.
On concerns about increased capacity costs, the spokesperson explained that Pakistan has invested in nuclear and local coal projects with higher fixed costs but lower generation costs, ultimately delivering cheaper electricity and reducing import dependence. Future capacity payments are expected to stabilize with the addition of renewable energy and retirement of older thermal plants.
He further stressed that electricity planning must account for a 10 to 20-year horizon, considering urban expansion, industrial growth, electric transport, cooling demands, and new technologies. This long-term perspective is reflected in the transparent, consultative, and evidence-based framework for demand estimation mandated by the Grid Code.
The spokesperson said that the Ministry of Energy is committed to ensuring that future power planning is realistic, reliable and cost-effective so as to ensure Pakistan’s long-term development and energy security.