ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has expressed concern at non resolution of pending Regionally Competitive Energy Tariffs (RCET) claims of Lasbela Industrial Estate Development Authority (LIEDA) despite passage of five years.
In a letter to Secretary Power Division, Secretary General Aptma Shahid Sattar referred to Aptma’s earlier correspondence of November 11, 2024 and the letter from Nepra of November 6, 2024, regarding non-provision of ZRI relief to LIEDA based textile/ zero-rated consumers (K Electric).
In January 2019, the government of Pakistan notified Regionally Competitive Energy Tariffs for all export-oriented industries across Pakistan through SRO on January 1, 2019, and the SRO was withdrawn in March 2023.
ZRI consumers in LIEDA: PD under fire over ‘AMR’ meter ‘impasse’
During the period ranging from January 2019 through March 2023, eligible consumers across Pakistan availed RCET with the exception of consumers at LIEDA, Hub, Balochistan, and some other eligible consumers located within industrial estates. Subsequently; however, all consumers other than those located in LIEDA were extended the facility by various Discos in whose territorial jurisdiction the industrial estates were located.
According to Aptma, the main reason previously given for non-provision of RCET to LIEDA consumers was that since LIEDA is not part of the Discos, the power consumption of such consumers cannot be verified.
However, during proceedings of the current complaint, K-Electric conceded the eligibility of complainants is verified through the metering and billing done by LIEDA, as well as, AMR meters installed which further verify the billing accuracy, and the claims have been prepared on the basis of data recorded and verified as correct by AMR meters, apart from the double verification in the Sales Tax returns.
The same has also been vetted and verified by Nepra as per the referenced correspondence.
Moreover, in similar circumstances, the consumers within Sundar Industrial Estate in the territory of LESCO were also initially denied the same benefit and the issue was resolved by the Lahore High Court whereby Nepra was given the task to resolve the issue.
In the case of Sundar Industrial Estate, Nepra issued clear instructions to LESCO for lowering the billing as per the notification for export-oriented companies approved by ECC and Cabinet, and all consumers in the Sundar Industrial Estate were extended this benefit.
However, LIEDA consumers are being deprived of their legitimate dues through no fault of their own. This issue has been pending for a very long time. Despite Aptma’s persistent efforts in raising this matter with the Power Division, numerous meetings and extensive correspondence over several months did not yield any resolution, following which the matter was referred to NEPRA for redressal.
In light of the correspondence from Nepra, Aptma has requested that the Power Division should instruct K-Electric to adjust the pending amount in the consumers’ power bills billed to LIEDA.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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