LAHORE: The Punjab government is considering participation in Pakistan’s first 400-MegaWatt (MW) electricity wheeling auction as part of a broader strategy to introduce open access and promote a more competitive electricity market in the province.
The matter was discussed at a meeting chaired by Punjab Energy Minister Malik Faisal Ayub Khokhar at the energy department on Monday where officials reviewed the province’s potential participation in the wheeling auction and the framework for a competitive electricity market and open access wheeling.
Secretary Energy Muhammad Ajmal Bhatti, Additional Secretary Development Shahid Farooq, Additional Secretary Administration Rai Muhammad Yasir Bhatti, Chief Energy Power Muhammad Yasin, Managing Director Punjab Power Development Board (PPDB) Saniya Owais, Chief Executive Officer Punjab Thermal Power Limited (PTPL) Salman Zakria, CEO Punjab Energy Efficiency and Conservation Agency (PEECA) Abdul Rehman and CEO Punjab Power Development Company Limited (PPDCL) Adnan Mudassar attended the meeting.
The minister said open access wheeling would be an important step towards developing a transparent, competitive and dynamic electricity market in Pakistan. Punjab’s potential participation in the process was aimed at advancing energy-sector reforms and exploring new opportunities for the competitive and reliable supply of electricity to industrial consumers.
According to him, Punjab was taking steps to derive maximum economic benefits from its growing clean-energy portfolio and introduce reforms in line with emerging requirements in the energy sector. He added that a competitive electricity market and open access wheeling could enable industrial and commercial consumers to access alternative sources of electricity at competitive rates, while encouraging investment and the development of clean-energy projects in the province. The Punjab government, he stated, was continuing practical measures to promote industrial growth, investment and economic activity through sustainable, transparent and economically efficient energy policies.
Managing Director PPDB Saniya Owais briefed the meeting on the wheeling auction, open access, electricity prices, grid charges and other related matters. The meeting reviewed various aspects of Punjab’s potential participation, including expected electricity prices, grid charges, commercial and financial viability, risk factors and bidding strategy. Measures to ensure Punjab’s effective participation in the competitive electricity market were also discussed.
For the purpose, the Punjab Financial Advisory Services (PFAS) has been engaged as an external financial adviser to assess the financial, commercial and economic aspects of potential participation in the wheeling auction.
The federal government recently took a step towards developing a more competitive electricity market by launching its first electricity wheeling auction, allowing eligible large consumers to purchase electricity directly from producers while using the existing transmission and distribution network.
The power division has invited proposals for the first 400MW auction under the Competitive Trading Bilateral Contract Market (CTBCM) framework. The broader plan envisages competitive procurement reaching 800MW over the next five years.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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