Alsons Power International Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of listed Alsons Consolidated Resources Inc. (ACR), is on track to produce an additional 282 megawatts of electricity by 2016 to meet Mindanao's growing demand.

Diesel and gasoline led the sale of oil derivatives in Costa Rica in 2012, representing 36% and 35% respectively, according to public services regulator Aresep.

DIVERSIFIED CONGLOMERATE San Miguel Corp., through SMC Global Power Holdings Corp., is spending about $1.5 billion to build two new coal-fired power plants in the country which are expected to be operational by 2015, a top company official told reporters yesterday.

"I think the plant in Luzon, if that's 600 megawatts (MW), it's about $1 billion. The one in Davao - 300 MW - that's $500 million," Ramon S. Ang, San Miguel president and chief operating officer, said after the annual stockholders' meeting of the conglomerate's unit, Petron Corp., at Valle Verde Country Club in Pasig City.

GREEDY energy giants have pushed up household bills by more than £250 a year and given their profits a multi-billion pound boost.

New research reveals today that power industry mark-ups - the difference between what firms pay for energy and the price they charge customers - rocketed by 39% for electricity and 69% for gas in the past 10 years.

The long-awaited sell-off of Irish state assets finally started this month, with Bord Gáis Energy (BGE) becoming the first asset to go on the block. There is interest from several international utility players in the business but, as with any big ticket sale, it's all about price.

The state is obviously under pressure to maximise the cash it gets in the deal. But buyers will be slow to pay over the odds for a utility in a weak domestic market. The main consumers of energy are businesses but, with only slight economic growth forecast, demand for gas and electricity may not see any uplift soon.

India, May 17 -- In a bid to mull over the re-distribution of scarce natural gas primarily produced from Reliance Industries-operated KG-D6 block, an empowered group of ministers along with defense minister AK Antony will meet on May 28.

NEW DELHI: An empowered group of ministers, headed by defence minister AK Antony, will meet on May 28 to consider re-distribution of scarce natural gas, mainly produced from Reliance Industries-operated KG-D6 block, government officials said.

New Delhi, May 17 -- In what could be a shot in the arm for the power sector, the Petroleum Ministry in a note to an empowered panel of ministers has clearly indicated that at least 10 mmscmd of gas should be allocated to the sector on priority basis, in the light of the fact that since the fertiliser sector gets first preference in terms of distribution, the supply to the power sector is inadequate.

BY FAR the largest float in New Zealand history is on the cards with the Government poised to announce in today's Budget that Meridian Energy is next in line for sale.

Caretaker minister for water & power Dr Musaddiq Malik said that country's power sector has become corrupt and without eliminating menace of corruption with iron hand no one can control worsening power crisis from the country. And, without constructing Diamer Bhasha and Kalabagh dams, 20,000mw of hydropower can be generated with small hydropower projects.

Angry pensioners and disabled people will confront British Gas bosses today when the energy giant holds its Annual General Meeting.

In April 2012, FortisBC filed an application with the BCUC to amalgamate its three gas utilities- FortisBC Energy Inc., FortisBC Energy (Vancouver Island) Inc., and FortisBC (Whistler) Inc. The application also proposed common rates for all FortisBC natural gas customers in a given rate class anywhere in the combined service territory. In February 2013, the BCUC denied the application. "We believe that this application is important to all of our customers and is in the public interest. We have decided to ask the BCUC to reconsider its recent denial of our original application to establish common rates across our natural gas service territories," said Roger Dall'Antonia, FortisBC vice president strategic planning, corporate development & regulatory affairs. If the amalgamation proceeds and common rates as proposed are adopted, FortisBC natural gas customers on Vancouver Island and in Whistler will see lower rates while customers on the Lower Mainland will see slightly increased rates. FortisBC has decided to exclude Fort Nelson from the common rate proposal, and such exclusion is not seen as a barrier to implementing common rates for other FortisBC natural gas service areas.

China Resources Power (CRP) and China Resources Gas (CRG), which have a combined market value of HK$170 billion, are in talks on a possible merger to form an energy major under state-owned China Resources (Holdings).

India's energy sector is preparing for a new regime for natural gas pricing and distribution with fresh norms for allocating the scarce resource and revised prices that makes the business attractive enough for companies to commit risk capital and boost output.The government proposes to grant the fuel-starved power sector the same priority as fertiliser plants for supply of depleting domestic gas.Currently,fertiliser plants get the top priority,and consequently the maximum natural gas.The change in pecking order can give the power sector enough fuel to generate 2,200 mw from existing plants,if the proposal is approved by empowered group of ministers (EGoM) scheduled to meet this week.The oil ministry has finalised the proposal on gas allocation for the EGoM after consulting the Planning Commission and ministries of fertilizer and power.The panel of ministers will also take a decision on the proposal of Reliance Industries and its partner BP to raise the price of natural gas produced from the KG-D 6 block,government officials said."The EGoM meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 7,but it could be postponed by a week," one official said.Gas producers and consumers are keenly waiting for the EGoM's verdict.Producers are concerned that the current price of gas is not adequate to justify investment of tens of thousands of crores in developing new fields in challenging terrain,while customers want supplies to rise sharply,but they are demanding cheap fuel.Output from Reliance's D6 block has fallen sharply,leaving several power plants idle or underutilised.Industrial customers are forced to buy liquefied natural gas,which costs 3-4 times RIL's state-approved price of $4.2 per unit.Reliance wants the price of domestic gas to match LNG rates,but power and fertilizer ministries,which represent the view of customers,want much lower rates.The oil ministry wants the price to give companies the incentive to produce more natural gas.The Rangarajan Committee proposed a formula,which gives a price that is midway between LNG and domestic rates.The oil ministry has supported the Rangarajan panel's view in the past,but it has not taken a final view for the EGoM.The EGoM will consider two separate proposals,one for raising prices of gas produced by blocks auctioned under new exploration licensing policy (Nelp) and the other for allocation of gas produced from other blocks,officials said.Currently,Nelp gas is produced from Reliance-operated D6 block.Gujarat State Petroleum Corp (GSPC) and Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) are at an advance stage of developing gas fields in Nelp blocks awarded to them.For gas allocation,the oil ministry has proposed three options for Nelp gas: treat fertilizer and power sector customers equally;give equal priority to all core sectors,including LPG and city gas;or to maintain status quo.Reliance-operated D6 blocks' gas supply to the power sector has fallen to zero after output plummeted to about 16 mmscmd.The power ministry recently issued an advisory to power developers not to plan any gas-based power plants till 2015-16 due to paucity of gas.At present,the fertilizer sector has first right over the domestic gas produced from Nelp fields,followed by LPG (cooking gas).The EGoM had accorded the third priority to the power sector and followed by city gas distribution (CGD).Steel,refineries,petrochemicals and captive power consumers followed them in order of declining priority."The priority was fixed by the EGoM,which is only authorised to alter the allocation priority," a government official said.The group is chaired by defense minister AK Antony and has representations of petroleum,power,fertilizer,law and finance ministries.Government officials involved with the EGoM also considered allocating scarce gas to only efficient power plants to maximise its value,but the proposal was shot down by the power ministry because this would exclude state-run power units,which are very old and often inefficient,officials said."Normally,1mmscmd produces 220 mw,this can be increased up to 250 mw due to efficiency of plants," one official said.The EGoM will also consider raising gas price based on Rangrajan formula,which after some modification would give a gas price of $8-8.25 per unit.Power and fertiliser ministries are vehemently opposing the move to raise gas price substantially.Power ministry is willing to pay raise the price up to $5 per unit,officials

India's energy sector is preparing for a new regime for natural gas pricing and distribution with fresh norms for allocating the scarce resource and revised prices that makes the business attractive enough for companies to commit risk capital and boost output.The government proposes to grant the fuel-starved power sector the same priority as fertiliser plants for supply of depleting domestic gas.Currently,fertiliser plants get the top priority,and consequently the maximum natural gas.The change in pecking order can give the power sector enough fuel to generate 2,200 MW from existing plants,if the proposal is approved by empowered group of ministers (EGoM) scheduled to meet this week.The oil ministry has finalised the proposal on gas allocation for the EGoM after consulting the Planning Commission and ministries of fertiliser and power.The panel of ministers will also take a decision on the proposal of Reliance Industries and its partner BP Plc to raise the price of natural gas produced from the KG-D 6 block,government officials said."The EGoM meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 7,but it could be postponed by a week," one official said.Gas producers and consumers are keenly waiting for the EGoM's verdict.Producers are concerned that the current price of gas is not adequate to justify investment of tens of thousands of crores in developing new fields in challenging terrain,while customers want supplies to rise sharply but they are demanding cheap fuel.Output from Reliance's D6 block has fallen sharply,leaving several power plants idle or underutilised.Industrial customers are forced to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) which costs 3-4 times Reliance's state-approved price of $4.2 per unit.Reliance wants the price of domestic to match LNG rates,but power and fertiliser ministries,which represents the view of customers,want much lower rates.The oil ministry wants the price to give companies the incentive to produce more natural gas.The Rangarajan Committee proposed a formula,which gives a price that is midway between LNG and domestic rates.The oil ministry has supported the Rangarajan panel's view in the past,but it has not taken a final view for the EGoM.The EGoM will consider two separate proposals,one for raising prices of gas produced by blocks auctioned under new exploration licensing policy (Nelp) and the other for allocation of gas produced from other blocks,officials said.Currently Nelp gas is produced from Reliance-operated D6 block.Gujarat State Petroleum Corp and ONGC are at an advance stage of developing gas fields in Nelp blocks awarded to them.For gas allocation,the oil ministry has proposed three options for Nelp gas: treat fertiliser and power sector customers equally;give equal priority to all core sector,including LPG and city gas;or to maintain status quo.Reliance-operated D6 blocks gas supply to the power sector has fallen to zero after output plummeted to about 16 mmscmd.The power ministry recently issued an advisory to power developers not to plan any gas based power plants till 2015-16 due to paucity of gas.At present the fertiliser sector has first right over the domestic gas produced from Nelp fields,followed by LPG (cooking gas).The EGoM had accorded the third priority to the power sector and followed by city gas distribution (CGD).Steel,refineries,petrochemicals and captive power consumers followed them in order of declining priority.Government officials involved with the EGoM also considered allocating scarce gas to only efficient power plants to maximise its value,but the proposal was shot down by the power ministry because this would exclude state-run power units,which are very old and often inefficient,officials said."Normally 1 mmscmd produces 220 MW,this can be increased up to 250 MW due to efficiency of plants," one official said.

NEW DELHI: India's energy sector is preparing for a new regime for natural gas pricing and distribution with fresh norms for allocating the scarce resource and revised prices that makes the business attractive enough for companies to commit risk capital and boost output.

The government proposes to grant the fuel-starved power sector the same priority as fertiliser plants for supply of depleting domestic gas. Currently, fertiliser plants get the top priority, and consequently the maximum natural gas. The change in pecking order can give the power sector enough fuel to generate 2,200 MW from existing plants, if the proposal is approved by empowered group of ministers (EGoM) scheduled to meet this week.

Pakistan discovered a new gas reservoir with a daily production of 33 million cubic feet (mmcfd) in Kirthar Block, Dadu district. The new gas discovery has been made by Eni Pakistan in joint venture with the Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Exploration Company (KUFPEC). This was stated by Qazi Saleem Director General (DG) Petroleum Concessions (PC) while giving a briefing to Petroleum Minister Sohail Wajahat Siddiqui, here on Friday.

The Landali-I is a 2,660 meters deep well. During the production testing gas flowed at 33 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) highlighting an excellent potential for the future for energy needs of the country. It was further informed that the discovery will be appraised and sub-sequentially commercialised through an early production scheme, making possible gas supply within three years.

The Finance Ministry has reportedly refused to release Rs 45 billion to Ministry of Water and Power arguing that power sector has already exhausted the revised budget of Rs 291 billion as Tariff-Based Subsidy (TBS). The government revised the budgeted inter-disco tariff differential upward from Rs 170 billion (Rs 120 billion rupees earmarked for Wapda/Pepco and Rs 50 billion for KESC) in the current fiscal year.

Shillong, May 2 -- The supply of electricity energy to the consumers is deteriorating day by day. Although Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) claimed that all the three units of Myntdu Leshka Hydro Electric Project were functioning but not all the three are running. Such crafted statement made by the Director (Generation) MeECL, Elias Lyngdoh is not to clarify to the common masses regarding the load shedding which have crippled the normal life style. He also says the power scenario in Meghalaya will only improve by 2017. Just a year before Meghalaya goes to elect the 10th Legislative Assembly in 2018.

ISLAMABAD, May 3 -- During the hearing of suo motu case regarding the unprecedented load shedding in the country, the Supreme Court was informed on Thursday that power generation had been badly affected these days due to the non supply of gas and furnace oil to the power sector.

Appearing before the three-member bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, PEPCO managing director, Zargham Ghulam Ishaq Khan said that gas supply of 250 MMC had been reduced to the power sector leading to a reduction of 1450 megawatt electricity in the system. He said the government was giving priority to consumer sector regarding the supply of gas and power sector was its second priority.