Pakistan govt finalises plan to roll out RLNG connections nationwide for domestic consumers

In a move aimed at meeting the growing energy demand, the government has finalised a comprehensive plan to provide Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) connections to households across Pakistan.

The development came during a meeting chaired by Ali Pervaiz Malik, the Federal Minister for Petroleum, on Friday to review the comprehensive roll-out plan for providing RLNG connections to domestic users across the country, read a statement.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary of Petroleum, Additional Secretary, Director General Gas, representatives of the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), and the Managing Directors of both Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL).

During the meeting, the Managing Directors of SNGPL and SSGCL presented a detailed strategy for the effective implementation of the government’s directive.

They informed the minister that an ambitious target of providing new RLNG domestic connections within the first year will be set.

“To ensure maximum public facilitation and transparency, the application process for these connections will be significantly streamlined. Consumers will be able to apply online through the official websites and mobile applications of the Sui companies, in addition to the traditional method of applying at their local offices,” read the statement.

Malik emphasised that this initiative is the priority of the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to meet the growing public demand for clean and affordable energy.

“This step is being taken to fulfil the long-standing demand of the public for the provision of new domestic gas connections,” Malik said.

“Shifting to RLNG is not only a move towards energy efficiency but also provides significant economic relief to households. RLNG is approximately 30% cheaper than LPG and is also a safer fuel option for domestic use.”

For effective oversight, the federal minister directed the immediate creation of a dedicated Project Management Office (PMO) at both SNGPL and SSGCL. These offices will be responsible for closely monitoring the entire process, from application to connection, ensuring targets are met and any public grievances are promptly addressed.

Moreover, it was also decided that applicants who have already paid for a demand note can now submit the differential amount along with security fee to become eligible for an RLNG connection under this new initiative.