ISLAMABAD - Amid severe energy crisis in the country, the government is all set to introduce a new formula in which it may offer 50 cents per mmbtu charges to ensure smooth sailing of the company which would set up LNG Floating Storage and Re-gasification Units (FSRUs). The government is likely to offer 50 cents per Million British Thermal Unit (MMBTU) charges to entice the company which would set up LNG Floating Storage and Re-gasification Units (FSRUs) to get rid of prevailing energy crisis in the country, according to reliable insiders. Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGC), after putting Mashal LNG project on hold, has re-tendered and received Expressions of Interest (EoI) from 17 companies to develop own LNG floating storage and supplying of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in the country, sources said, adding, that establishing the LNG import facility and re-gasification units is expected to cost between $250 million to $300 million. It is to be noted that earlier the government had offered a rate of one dollar per mmbtu for FSRUs facility for Mashal LNG project, which was shelved after the allegations of embezzlement. However, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources seems resolved to complete short-term LNG import project while setting aside the long-term projects earlier proposed to help the energy sector, which has so far added salt to masses injuries. Reportedly, Minister for Petroleum and Natural resources Dr Asim Hussain has also offered the CNG industry to work out possibilities to set up LNG units at auto stations. CNG industry officials at a recently held meeting with the minister assured that LNG can be possibly utilised by installing compressors at auto stations. Economic pundits disagreed that LNG will not be a cheaper source of energy for use in auto stations. They pronounced that LNG would be well again for using it in power generation, which was already relying a lot on the costly furnace oil. The share of gas, coal and nuclear is less comparatively much less than furnace oil in power generation, a sources said. They further disclosed that according to estimates based on crude oil price, the cost of nuclear-based power generation is 4.1 cents/Kwh, 8.8 cents from imported gas, 8.8 cents from Thar coal, 9 cents from imported coal, 10 cents from oil and 12 cents from wind source. The government has already given its consent to use gas to be imported from Iran for power generation purposes, which is expected to be costly for domestic and commercial gas consumers, they opined. It is relevant to mention that seventeen companies submitted their EoI in the project till this effect are named as Shell Gas and Power Developments BV, 4Gas Asia, Granada Group of Companies, NatGas, BW Fleet Management AS, MTMKN Group, Global Energy Infrastructure Limited, Pakistan Gasport Limited, Kot Addu Power Company Limited, PK Energy, Vitol, Engro Corp, SAF International, LNG Energy Limited, Iran Liquefied Gas Company, Trading Enterprises (Pvt) Limited and Xpro Energy Limited.