US, Pakistan work to ensure affordable energy

Islamabad : The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) teamed up with Pakistan’s Central Power Purchasing Agency (Guarantee) CPPA-G to help ensure that the country receives affordable and sustainable energy, says a press release.

Through the implementation of new software, called Stochastic Dual Dynamic Programming (SDDP) software, the CPPA-G will be able to forecast energy needs and efficiently combine different sources of energy, ensuring power reaches 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.

Ryan Knight, USAID’s Director Energy Office said, “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.”

The chief executive officer of CPPA-G expressed his gratitude for the partnership with USAID and its continued support towards the energy sector of Pakistan “With the benefit of the SDDP software we are ushering in the era of competitive power market in Pakistan”, he went on to say.

The ceremony was organised by USAID’s Sustainable Energy for Pakistan Project — a four years programme 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. One component of the Project trains and builds the capacity of CPPA-G professionals to operate the SDDP software, ensuring that it is best used to meet specific electricity market conditions in Pakistan.