The government has reportedly disbursed approximately Rs 1 trillion in capacity payments to 26 gas/RLNG and RFO-fired Independent Power Producers (IPPs) over a decade, starting from 2015. These IPPs were established under the Power Generation Policy frameworks of pre-1994, 1994, and 2002.
According to documents available with this correspondent, gas/RLNG-based power plants received Rs 536.30 billion in capacity payments over the 10-year period. Significant beneficiaries include Fauji Kabirwala with Rs 14.271 billion, Liberty Dharki Power Limited with Rs 25.5 billion, and Rousch Pak Power Ltd with Rs 60 billion. Other notable payments include Uch Power Limited receiving Rs 77.314 billion, Uch-II Rs 120.137 billion, Foundation Power Rs 37.9 billion, Saphir Rs 39.377 billion, Saif Power Rs 38.80 billion, Orient Rs 39 billion, Engro Power Gen Rs 35.373 billion, and Halmore Rs 48.374 billion.
Additionally, RFO-fired IPPs were also recipients of significant capacity payments. The Hub Power Company Limited was paid Rs 205.034 billion, Kot Addu Rs 167 billion, Kohinoor Energy Rs 15.087 billion, Lalpir Energy Rs 52.081 billion, Pak Gen Limited Rs 50.834 billion, Saba Power Limited Rs 17.833 billion, Atlas Power Rs 43.173 billion, Attock Gen Rs 26.882 billion, Liberty Power Tech Limited Rs 46.216 billion, Narowal Energy Limited Rs 53.909 billion, Nishat Chunian Power Limited Rs 41.420 billion, and Nishat Power Limited Rs 39.791 billion.
During a recent meeting presided over by Senator Mohsin Aziz, concerns were raised about the substantial capacity payments made to IPPs such as Rousch Power Limited, Uch-Power, and Hubco Power. Senator Shibli Faraz questioned the heavy payouts, particularly to Rousch Power Limited, linked to former Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood. In response, officials from the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA-G) clarified that the payments were made in accordance with the generation capacity of the plants.
The CPPA-G also informed the committee that while they have provided the details of capacity payments made in the last 10 years, retrieving the older records might take up to a month.
