ISLAMABAD:National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has made use of Thar coal mandatory for coal-power plants, it emerged on Thursday.
The electric power regulator has issued guidelines to the coal-power plants. “The power plants would have to see availability of coal from Thar before coal import,” the NEPRA guidelines read. “Independent Power Producers (IPPs) will inform their six months’ requirement of coal to Thar Coal Energy Board,” NEPRA instructed. “In case of non-availability of required coal, they will be eligible to import it.”
The coal will be purchased and sold in Pakistani rupee, power regulator said. “Minimum coal import order will not be lesser than 5,000 tons,” it added. The regulatory authority had earlier asked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to set up a coal authority to deal with coal imports for consumption in coal-fired power plants.
According the NEPRA revised guidelines for procurement of coal on spot basis from various sources, the regulator has noted that coal-fired power plants shall ensure that coal procurements are conducted fairly and transparently. Earlier the vacations were supposed to end on January 2. The notification further said that the clinical students working on rotations will continue discharging their duties in the hospitals.
Earlier on December 27, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered to extend winter vacations for one more week amid the increasing threat of smog. The orders were passed by the LHC while hearing the petitions moved for seeking the remedy to address the smog issue.