APTMA Urges Govt To Revise IPPs Agreements

All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Chairman (North) Kamran Arshad Monday urged the government to revise agreements with the IPPs (Independent Power Producers) forthwith to save the industry, particularly the export-oriented textile industry

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Jul, 2024) All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Chairman (North) Kamran Arshad Monday urged the government to revise agreements with the IPPs (Independent Power Producers) forthwith to save the industry, particularly the export-oriented textile industry.

He was addressing a press conference here at the APTMA office. APTMA Secretary General

Muhammad Raza Baqir and Energy Advisor APTMA Tahir Basharat Cheema were also present.

Kamran Arshad thanked Patron-in-Chief APTMA Dr Gohar Ejaz for raising the issue in his personal

capacity as well as from the platform of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).

"We are standing firmly behind him," he assured.

He pointed out that the textile industry exports had registered four percent drop in the month of June 2024 compared with the corresponding period last year.

The exports were dwindling further due to the absence of Regionally Competitive Energy Tariff (RCET) of 9 cents/kWh, he said, adding that the industry was forced to pay 15.5 cents/kWh due to the agreements with IPPs.

He said that the exports were suffering heavily with minimum chances of growth ahead.

The chairman APTMA made it clear that the APTMA members were not asking for any subsidy from the government but a regionally competitive energy tariff.

This was right time to take a decision of cancelling agreements with IPPs and ensure RCET to

the industry, he stressed.

He added that National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (NEPRA) data suggests that at least four

power plants were receiving Rs 10 billion per month without supplying a ‘single unit’ of electricity to

consumers.