10mn energy savers project bidding: Singaporean firm tops bidders

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE: A bidding for 10 million energy savers was held at the PIA building where a Singaporean company topped the bidders.

The quotations of the bidders have been referred to the evaluation committee for further action.

The project envisages purchase of 30 million CFLs under ADB Tranche-1 of Energy Efficiency Programme funded by ADB & AFD of France for $ 40 million and $ 25 million respectively for all the Discos and KESC.

The loan will be extended to GOP which will bear the cost of CFLs. PEPCO will purchase the CFLs in bulk (in two rounds of 10 million and 20 million) on behalf of GOP and will distribute among the domestic consumers through all the Discos and KESC free of cost in exchange for 40-100W incandescent bulbs. The distribution cost will be borne by the Discos and KESC.

Those who participated in the bidding included M/Syang Zhou with $1.62, M/s Philips Electronics $1.65, M/s CE Lighting $1.7, M/s Zhejiang $1.85, M/s Beauty Shadow $1.6 and M/s GE Lighting $1.72 for each energy saver.

The National CFL Programme aims at replacing 30 million incandescent bulbs in domestic sector spread in eight Discos & KESC with high quality CFLs. As energy efficiency is the least cost solution for demand side management and to address the current power shortages. It would help reduce peak demand of over 1000MW, in avoiding generation of 1600 MW ($ 1.84 billion) and a saving of about 2000 million units of energy equivalent to Rs 17.5 billion.

It will also help save lifeline subsidy by $ 60 million per year. The project will yield Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) revenues of about $ 32 million by 2018. It will also help reduce consumers' bills by Rs 300 per bulb per annum. The electricity saved could be sold to higher tariff consumers generating additional revenues of approximately $ 29 million per year for Discos. The government led free distribution CFL programme has been executed in many countries including Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, USA and Cuba. As per CFLs Change Monitoring Website, USA is saving $ 27 million per year on account of free distribution of 2.9 millions CFLs.