CPPA-G, USAID team up

ISLAMABAD: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has entered an agreement with Pakistan to help Central Power Purchasing Agency (Guarantee) CPPA-G ensure the country receives affordable and sustainable energy, a statement said on Thursday.

The statement said with the help of USAID, the CPPA-G would implement a new software called Stochastic Dual Dynamic Programming (SDDP), which would enable the power agency to forecast energy needs and efficiently combine different sources of energy, ensuring power reached Pakistanis throughout the country.

“Moreover, the software will allow the CPPA-G to simulate the electricity market and make informed decisions on how to operate the power grid more efficiently. This will further development in the power sector and facilitate the establishment of a competitive electricity market in Pakistan,” the statement said.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ryan Knight, USAID’s Director Energy Office, “Together, we can develop indigenous, clean and sustainable energy resources that will improve energy access for consumers, bring down the cost of electricity, help accelerate human development, and enhance the country’s economic competitiveness”.

Thanking the USAID for supporting the country’s energy sector, the chief executive officer of CPPA-G said “With the benefit of the SDDP software we are ushering in the era of competitive power market in Pakistan”.

The ceremony was organised by USAID’s Sustainable Energy for Pakistan Project—a four years program aimed towards increasing private sector investment in the energy sector and providing a viable and cost-effective means of inducting renewable energy into the local transmission grid.