Power sector needs reliable fuel supply - Asaga

Mr Moses Asaga, Chairman of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission, has called for the need to develop and establish a reliable gas supply system to fuel the power generation industry in the country.

Speaking on Tuesday at a stakeholder meeting on the current call for upward adjustment in utility tariffs, he said the main problem facing the major power producers was the absence of cheaper fuel to power their generating capacities.

Mr Asaga said given the economic situation in the country, gas was still the cheaper, cleaner and more efficient way to generate electricity.

He said it's, therefore, important to intensify the country’s focus on the development of reliable gas supply network and make it readily available to reduce the high cost of electricity production.

He expressed worry that as a result of the unreliable supply of gas, the cost of electricity production kept increasing and yet the load shedding and power outages in the country had not decreased.

Mr Asaga said the current use of light crude oil to fuel the thermal power plants was unsustainable.

Hence, he added, the call for electricity producers for an adjustment in tariffs should rather lead to the supply of reliable gas to fuel their plants rather than to go buying the expensive light crude oil whose impact had increased the plight of many.