ISLAMABAD: The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has sought a temporary waiver of the levy on Captive Power Plants (CPPs) during the winter months to enable mills to utilize their gas-based captive power plants to maintain essential operations.

In a letter to Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, APTMA Chairman Kamran Arshad said that electricity shortages faced by the industry during the ongoing winter months—primarily due to heavy fog — have severely constrained grid power availability in several regions.

During December and January, the electricity supply remains erratic and insufficient to sustain uninterrupted industrial operations. The resulting voltage fluctuations and frequent outages are causing damage to sensitive machinery, forcing mills to curtail production and inflicting significant operational losses.

APTMA urges govt to re-evaluate grid levy on industrial CPPs

These disruptions come at a time when the industry is already grappling with widespread strikes, an uncertain business environment, and depressed demand in both domestic and export markets.

In this context, APTMA has requested a temporary waiver of the levy on gas used for captive power generation for December and January, adding that it will enable mills to utilize their gas-based captive power plants to maintain essential operations and preserve industrial productivity during this difficult period.

“We believe that this short-term facilitation will help mitigate the damage to industrial infrastructure and production capacity, while ensuring continuity of employment and export commitments,” he said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025