LUMS workshop pushes power sector indigenisation

LAHORE-- The LUMS Energy Institute (LEI) convened the Second National Consultative Workshop on the Power Sector Indigenization Roadmap at LUMS, bringing together senior leadership and representatives from the Ministry of Energy, WAPDA, National Grid Company (NGC), Power Planning and Monitoring Company (PPMC), DISCOs, regulatory bodies, electrical power equipment manufacturers, industry associations, policymakers, and academia.

The workshop aimed to advance a coordinated national approach to strengthening Pakistan’s domestic electrical power equipment manufacturing industry and reducing import dependence.

Building on the first workshop held in May 2025, the initiative progressed from preliminary assessments to a structured, product-level demand-supply analysis, aligning sectoral requirements with domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Mr. Faizan Ali Shah, Advisor to the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), appreciated the initiative undertaken by LUMS and emphasized that a mere 30% local value addition is insufficient to achieve the objectives of indigenization. He noted that, under the National Electricity Plan 2023–2027, the Engineering Development Board (EDB) was mandated to submit a formal Power Sector Indigenization Plan to the Government by 2024; however, this mandate remained unfulfilled. He further stated that the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) would now prioritize the development of the plan in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

Dr. Fiaz Ahmad Chaudhry, Professor of Practice and Senior Advisor at LEI, emphasized the importance of creating an enabling environment and stated that LEI has provided a common platform for procuring agencies, manufacturers, and policymakers to collectively address industry challenges, accelerate import substitution, and strengthen Pakistan’s domestic manufacturing capabilities towards developing a globally competitive electrical power equipment industry.

Engr. Faisal Javaid Mughal, Program Lead at the LUMS Energy Institute, presented an overview of potential opportunities for local manufacturing of electrical equipment, projected demand over the next ten years, and Pakistan’s existing domestic manufacturing capabilities.

The workshop featured three parallel consultation streams covering variable renewable energy (VRE) generation equipment and battery energy storage system (BESS) components; transmission lines and allied equipment; and grid stations and allied equipment. Manufacturers presented expressions of interest and product development plans for identified priority products, while procuring agencies shared corresponding demand projections. Discussions focused on manufacturing readiness, localization bottlenecks, technology partnerships, and enabling policy measures.

A high-level panel representing key power-sector institutions included Faizan Ali Shah, Energy Advisor at the Ministry of Energy; Altaf Hussain Malik, Managing Director of NGC; Tufail Sheikh of PPMC; Mujahid Pervez Chattha, Chairman GEPCO & BoD K-Electric; and Muhammad Arfan, Member Power at WAPDA. Almas Haider, former Chairman EDB, called for coordinated efforts among key institutions to translate LEI’s preliminary findings into a practical, evidence-based, and outcome-oriented Indigenization Policy Framework and Roadmap.

Shahid Hussain, Rector, and Dr Tariq Jadoon, Provost of LUMS, reaffirmed the university’s commitment to supporting evidence-based policymaking, innovation, and industrial transformation.

The workshop concluded with consensus on actionable steps to align procurement practices with national localization goals, foster technology partnerships, and advance a roadmap for import substitution. The consultations assessed domestic supply capacity against sectoral demand and contributed to an Indicative Product Development Plan for phased localization. They also consolidated industry challenges and recommendations and provided structured inputs to help designated power-sector entities further develop the formal Pakistan Power Sector Indigenization Policy (PSIP), including its Policy Framework and Indigenization Roadmap.