ISLAMABAD: The government on Tuesday asked the gas utilities and Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) to start processing new gas connections to consumers on RLNG-based monthly tariff at the earliest.

The Ministry of Energy (Petr­o­leum Division), in a notification to Ogra and two gas utilities — SNGPL and SSGCL — conveyed that the federal cabinet in its meeting on Sept 10 relaxed the moratorium imposed on the provision of new connections with the direction that “RLNG shall not be provided to new consumers at any subsidised rate”.

Under the decision, Sui companies have been allowed “to process all applications for provision of connections on RLNG based on Ogra-determined and notified monthly RLNG tariff for distribution network”, the Petroleum Division said, adding that the cabinet also app­roved a framework for processing of RLNG-based connections.

Under the approved framework, the annual target for RLNG-based domestic connections will be decided by Ogra based on projected availability of RLNG in the network and the capacity of Sui companies to process the applications.

“Consum­ers who have already paid the connections fee, demand note or urgent fee for indigenous gas connections will have priority provided they pay the differential of security and sign the exclusive RLNG Supply Cont­ract,” it said, adding that the merit list for processing all such........

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