Industries, farmers to get additional cheaper electricity

ISLAMABAD: In a bid to generate economic activity, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday announced that the industrial and agricultural consumers would get additional electricity at lower rates for a period of three years.

The move announced under “Roshan Maeeshat Bijli Package” will be effective from November 2025 to October 2028 under which the two sets of consumers are supposed to get additional electricity for Rs22.98 per unit.

It is expected that the cheaper electricity will boost economic activity at a time when higher production cost, especially due to higher energy prices, have adversely affected both industrialists and farmers.

The prevailing state of affairs has ripple effects, ranging for higher prices to very few job opportunities, as there is very little incentive to expand the existing businesses or establish new ones.

Shehbaz announced the package in meeting with experts from industrial and agriculture sectors as well as businessmen in Islamabad.

Read more: Oil prices up 5% on fresh US sanctions against Russia

EXCESSIVE POWER GENERATION CAPACITY FOR GOOD USE

The prime minister said there would be an ample power supply at lower prices for the whole year — a scenario made possible by the excessive electricity generation capacity and shrinking demand thanks of multiple factors. One of these is the power consumers opting for solar energy.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is unfortunately one of those countries where the domestic users consume more electricity than the industrial sector.

On the other hand, the declining electricity consumption means the capacity charges have been on the rise for power consumers, thus expediting the “exodus” towards cheaper solar energy.

It is in this context, the prime minister said neither the domestic consumers nor any other sector would face the burden of the Roshan Maeeshat Bijli Package.

Shehbaz praised Power Minister Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari and his team for preparing the package and noted that the industrial and agriculture sectors for the backbone of economy while also generating employment opportunities.