ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Energy Sardar Owais Ahmad Laghari on Wednesday disclosed that the Power Division has reduced the electricity rates for electric vehicle (EV) charging stations by 45 percent from Rs 71 per unit. 39.70 rupees per unit.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Leghari said that regulations related to electric vehicle charging stations will also be implemented and registration and business will be allowed within 15 days.
He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, special concessional electricity rates were announced for electric vehicle charging stations today.
He said that along with this, the regulations regarding the establishment of the first electric vehicle charging stations and battery replacement points in the history of the country have also been implemented.
The minister said that these regulations have been implemented under the National Energy Conservation Authority, a body of the Power Division, for which a regular gazette notification has also been issued.
Laghari said the revolving credit decreased to Rs 12 billion, which reached Rs 2,381 billion in July-November 2024 as against Rs 2,393 billion as on June 30, 2024.
The minister highlighted that the recovery rate for the period July to November 2024 has reached 96 percent, which is significantly better than the corresponding period of 2023 due to the prudent policies of the government.
IPPs negotiations
Meanwhile, the Minister also disclosed that the Power Division proposed revised contracts with 18 more Independent Power Producers (IPPs) before the Federal Cabinet.
The Cabinet Committee on Energy has approved a summary of the Power Division, allowing industrialized states and Special Industrial Zones to provide single point electricity supply to their administrations for connection, bill collection and other related matters. Authority granted.
This decision was taken to redress the grievances of Industrial Zones and Special Industrial Zones regarding new connections and billing process.
A procedure is also being prepared in this regard which will be implemented by the Power Division in the next two to three months.
The Minister said that the power sector has started benefiting from the initiatives taken by the Power Division.
According to an estimate, there are currently 10 million motorcycles in the country and they spend $6 billion annually on fuel. Converting these motorcycles to electric technology, which is possible on average for 50,000, will not only pay for itself in three to four months in capital savings, but also save billions of dollars. Valuable foreign exchange
Similarly, the use of electric technology in three-wheelers (rickshaws) is likely to significantly reduce the cost of travel within the city, which will not only make a significant difference in fares, but also help in curbing the consumption of harmful gases. will get Which will help in dealing with air pollution.
Transportation costs
The reduction in travel costs will also have an impact on the delivery of goods within the city, which will also make a positive difference in the cost of living.
While this move by the Power Division is likely to bring about a positive change in travel expenses and related issues, the establishment of charging stations and battery swapping points everywhere is also providing a positive business opportunity. street
With a discounted price, permission to set up charging stations or battery points can now be obtained in just 15 days. In this regard, NEECA, a subsidiary of Power Division, has established a single window and now registration can be done only by visiting the website.
In this regard, to ensure a competitive market and facilitate domestic and foreign direct investment, these regulations have been simplified and the registration fee has also been kept at only 50,000. Implementation of these regulations is estimated to achieve the target of 30 percent electric vehicle penetration by 2030.
Regulations on electric vehicles and battery change points support the provision of charging technology at five different levels.
These regulations provide a level playing field to all global and regional electric vehicle manufacturers. Under these regulations, special attention has also been paid to the protection and related measures of charging stations and battery replacement points, which will also be regularly monitored and audited.
Promulgation of preferential electricity tariffs and regulations on electric vehicle charging stations will provide new profitable business and investment opportunities, which will not only create new employment opportunities but also strengthen the entire national economy.