Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power, expressing concern over distribution of electricity supply on Friday stressed to ensure distribution of electricity according to distribution plan. It said that no discrimination would be tolerated from Discos in this regard.
The Committee said that electricity distribution should be on priority basis in Balochistan and especially in South Punjab and added that misconceptions among provinces were being created due to details given by bureaucracy. The Senate body met here on Friday to discuss the matters regarding electricity generation, distribution and performance of Discos and condition of grid stations under the Chairmanship of Mohammad Zahid Khan including members Khalida Parveen, Hamayon Khan Mandokhel, Nisar Muhammad, Shahi Syed, and Moula Baksh Chandio.
Chairman Wapda, Managing Director NTDC and Chairman NEPRA were also present in the meeting. The committee was briefed that to overcome the irrigation problems in rural areas of Sindh, work on Dadu power plant was underway while Jamshoro plant has completed in time.
Discos official, briefing about efficiencies of companies regarding recovery and losses, told that electricity losses and recovery campaign is underway and power companies are trying to meet the targets. The committee was briefed by the Ministry that to stop the electricity theft, double meters are being installed on grid stations.Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) chief while briefing said that 50 percent load shedding is continuing in region as provided electricity is not enough for consumers.
Senator Zahid expressed concern over payment to IPPs and said that load shedding could be reduced if Rs 100 billion were given to IPPs instead of 480 billion. He said that despite recovery of 97 percent from 9 districts of Malakand Division eighteen hour loadshedding is still continuing.
He said problems in production and distribution of electricity to consumers are due to lack of co-ordination among NEPRA, NTDC, Planning Commission, Ministry of Water and Power and Finance. All institution should show responsibility to overcome the surcharges and delay in construction of project and to reduce its cost, he added. The Committee directed that funds regarding PC-I of Chackdara grid station should be released as soon as possible as project was already delayed for six years.
Senator Khalida Parveen raised voice regarding load shedding in South Punjab and said that load shedding still persists and discrimination should be stopped. Chairman committee said that despite recommendation of the committee no action has been taken so far regarding transfer of corrupt RO from MEPCO. He also expressed displeasure over absence of Water and Power minister in committee and directed that a letter be written in this regard.
Members of the committee unanimously agreed to help out Ministry of Water and Power and planning commission regarding approval and distribution of their funds to end load shedding. Senator Hamayon Mandokhail said that subsidy to Balochistan would be given according to decision announced by government. He said that defective transformer cost should not be received from consumers and this practice should be stopped forthwith.
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