Experts have said that a proposal to pay for green energy incentives and supports for peat-fired power plants could add €40 a year to Irish consumers’ electricity bills and significantly increase industries’ costs.
Pakistan’s Water and Power Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has instructed the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) and Chief Executive Officers of all distribution companies across the country to expedite recovery of over Rs 150 billion ($1.7 billion) arrears from defaulters “without any discrimination.”
After being unable to attract funds from potential investors to build new power stations and upgrade existing units, Zimbabwe’s power expansion plans have failed to make any progress.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said that his government is ending the national electricity rationing that started in January and has hindered the country’s efforts to climb out of recession.
China Huaneng Group, one of China’s five power giants, has announced that it will undertake a nuclear power project in Heilongjiang.
Rotating daily brownouts in Cagayan de Oro in the Philippines have been reduced from 5 hours to 2-3 hours, as the onset of the rainy season has eased the situation of the hydropower plants.
Manila Electric Company (Meralco), the largest power distributor in the Philippines, says that it hopes to sign a deal with several prospective companies to boost its planned venture into power generation.
The solar-powered CalRENEW-1 has been connected to the California Independent System Operator’s (CAISO) transmission grid under the state’s Renewables Portfolio Standards programme.
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai has said that the country must establish a competitive electricity market to guarantee cost savings, and has ordered the Ministry of Industry and Trade to issue the necessary regulations to set up such a market.
Officials of Sri Lanka’s power utility, Ceylon Electricity Board say they expect to lose 40 billion rupees (US$350 million) in 2010.