LAHORE: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has advised distribution companies (DISCOs) to follow the order of loadshedding according to different categories of consumers as provided in PSDR 2005 keeping in view the requirements of performance standards. It has also directed DISCOs to submit their proposals regarding amendment in the said Rule if deemed necessary.
The NEPRA has observed that distribution companies are carrying out the load shedding as per Accumulated Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses criteria which is not in line with the requirements of Performance Standards (Distribution) Rules 2005, wherein, Rule 4 (f) states that "a distribution company shall have plans and schedules available to shed up to 30% of its connected load at any time upon instructions of NTDC. When instructed by NTDC, distribution company shall shed the load in the following order: supply to consumers in rural areas, and residential consumers in urban areas where separate feeders exist, followed by consumers other than industrial, in urban areas, agriculture consumers where there is dedicated power supply, industrial consumers; schools and hospitals; and finally defense and strategic installations.
According to performance evaluation report of distribution licenses for FY 2018-19 has pointed out that all DISCOs, except QESCO and HESCO, have reduced the time duration (hours) of load shedding in fiscal year 2018-19 as compared to 2017-18.
According to the data available, daily load shedding has reduced to 2.16 hours per day in IESCO during 2018-19 against 3.125 hours per day in 2017-18, followed by 1.55 hours per day in 2018-19 against 3.25 hours per day during 2017-18 in PESCO, 0.5 hours per day in GEPCO in 2018-19 against 11 hours per day in 2017-18, 0.32 hours day in FESCO in 2018-19 against 0.74 hours per day in 2017-18, 2.4 hours per day in 2018-19 in LESCO against 1.7 hours per day in 2017-18, 0.43 hours per day in MEPCO in 2018-19 against 1.30 per day in 2017-18, 7.33 hours per day in QESCO in 2018-19 against 5.8 hours per day in 2017-18, 2.25 hours per day in SEPCO in 2018-19 against 2.25 hours per day in 2017-18, 5.5 hours per day in HESCO during 2018-19 against 3.75 hours per day in 2017-18, 1.77 per day in HESCO during 2018-19 against 1.26 hours per day in 2017-18, and 1.77 hours per day in K-Electric during 2018-19 against 1.26 hours per day in 2017-18.
The report said that although the duration of load shedding has been decreased in FY 2018-19 as compared to previous years, but it can be eliminated if DISCOs avail 100% of their allocated quota of power. During the reported period, the report said that it came to the knowledge of NEPRA that DISCOs are carrying out load management as per AT&C losses criteria. But it is a matter of concern that criteria set by the DISCOs is not in line with the requirements of NEPRA Performance Standards. Therefore, DISCOs are required to submit their proposals regarding amendment in the said Rule of Performance Standards or revise their criteria as per NEPRA laws, it added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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