Senate passes landmark energy security bill after marathon overnight session
The 148-page bill, which restructures the national grid and introduces a green tariff for rural households, cleared the upper house with a 112-48 vote after a 19-hour debate that ran past dawn.
The Senate approved the Energy Security and Grid Reform Bill early on Friday, closing a debate that began the previous morning and continued through the night as coalition partners negotiated amendments on provincial transmission rights.
The legislation restructures the national grid into three regional operators, creates an independent tariff review board, and introduces a subsidised green tariff for rural households consuming under 200 units a month.
Opposition senators objected to the pace of the vote, arguing that the standing committee had not published its final report. Government managers countered that the bill had been circulated for eleven weeks and that further delay would jeopardise the winter procurement schedule.
Officials at the power division said implementation rules would be notified within ninety days, with the first regional operator expected to begin work before the end of the fiscal year.