Chief Executive Officer (CEO) EMR Consultant and former Managing Director of SSGC and Pepco, Munawar B Ahmed has proposed constituting a National Energy Authority (NEA), as a statutory body, through a legislative process, which will have the overall responsibility to plan, manage and oversee the implantation of energy sector projects.
The NEA would be tasked to prepare a 20/25 year national energy plan based on the framework of the 2005-2030 national energy plan, but with a revised primary energy mix, with the key policy objective of achieving sufficiency, suitability, affordability and sovereignty in the energy sector for Pakistan in the 21st century.
In a paper on Pakistan energy sector on the brink of collapse presented at PHMA, he said that a new primary energy mix for Pakistan has been proposed. Without sufficient, sustainable and affordable energy, namely eclectic power, natural gas and petroleum products, the economic engine will not be able to move forward.
With the continuing apathy and complacency of the new government over the past two-and half-years, no major new power plant (Hydel, gas, coal) has been formulated for commercial operation (COD) between 2012 to 2015. The much trumpeted nine new IPPS (gas and fuel oil) contributing 1350MW, which have achieved COD in 2009 and 2010, were all contracted and financial closure achieved prior to May 2008. There were originally planned for COD in 2007-08. Three additional IPPs with a combined capacity of 650MW are on track for completion in the next three months. These were also part of the past governments new IPP contracts signed between 2004 and 2007.
The Chasma 2, nuclear power plant of 300MW, the contract and ground breaking for which also pre-dates. The government had completed about 85 percent and was expected to achieve COD in 2011. There have been major policy lapses, as well as non-implantation of doable energy projects by successive governments over the past decades. However, the new government apart from tall claims and rhetoric, has not launched any new major hydel project for water storage and power generation, nor have been taken steps to supplement the country's indigenous primary energy supplies, namely coal, (Thar) and additional gas, nor have any of the three gas import projects through Trans National Pipelines (TNP's) (IAP, GTAP, GUSA) or LNG import (Mashal) been finalised.
Munawar B Ahmed said this has put Pakistan's energy sector on "The brink of collapse". In the short-term 2010-2012 and medium term 2012-2015 there is no clear plan or solution in sight for the 1200 to 1500mmcfd gas shortage, nor is there any major power project in the pipeline that can cover the power supply gap of 3,000MW - 5,000MW. No credible actions to bring on line the unutilised and some derated capacity up to 2000MW of existing IPP's and GENCOs have been undertaken.