ISLAMABAD: The federal government has issued fresh policy guidelines and directed the state-run gas utilities to process all new domestic connections exclusively on imported re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) tariff.
The directives follow the federal cabinet’s Sept 10 approval to partially lift the ban on new connections.
Notably, Ogra has recently acknowledged that the price of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is nearly 65 percent higher than indigenous gas.
According to the Petroleum Division’s notification, sent to Sui Northern and Sui Southern gas companies, applicants who had already deposited urgent fees and demand notices will be prioritized for RLNG connections. These consumers will be required to submit an affidavit agreeing to receive LNG instead of indigenous system gas. Urgent connections under RLNG will be provided within three months, while all pending applications on system gas have been declared void.
The guidelines also specify that the utilities can provide up to 50 percent of connections annually on urgent fees, with a separate merit list to be maintained for bulk and special domestic users. Consumers who had their gas supply disconnected for over a year will also be shifted to RLNG. While existing system gas consumers will continue receiving supplies, officials clarified that future tariff revisions will apply to them as well.
New application formats and demand notices for RLNG-based connections are to be issued immediately, and companies have been instructed not to accept requests under the old system.
It is to be noted that earlier, the Power Division had refused to purchase the expensive imported fuel. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervez Malik had also complained to Power Minister Awais Leghari that the division was no longer lifting the large volumes of LNG imported for power plants.