Power supply to theft-free areas: KP govt, PD agree to reach formal agreement

ISLAMABAD: Power Division and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government are said to have agreed to reach a formal pact to reduce losses and provision of electricity to theft-free areas like Mardan, well-informed sources told Business Recorder.

Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) is one of the highest loss-making power distribution companies, the main reason is the provincial government does not support criminal action against electricity thieves.

Currently, some areas in KPK are facing load shedding duration of 18-20 hours depending on recovery and losses.

According to sources, trilateral meeting between Interior Minister, Mohsin Raza Naqvi, Power Minister, Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari and Chief Minister, Sardar Ali Amin Khan Gandapur has led to an amicable solution of the longstanding problem i.e. losses and provision of electricity to those areas where losses are coming down.

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“Chief Minister has given his word that he would help curb electricity theft and PESCO will reduce revenue based load shedding with the same percentage of recovery,” the sources said adding that details of the plan will be finalized and shared with teams of Power Division/PESCO and KPK government.

The sources said, payment by the provincial government will continue as per existing routine but federal government will not opt for deduction at source due to financial constraints of the province.

The main demand of KPK Chief Minister was reduction in electricity load shedding. He also promised that provincial government will extend all possible cooperation to reduce commercial loss of PESCO.

Power Division argues that with reduction in commercial loss, load shedding will automatically reduce.

“Whatever plan is prepared jointly by all sides will be implemented in letter and spirit,” the sources said, adding that the meeting was a good one.

The KPK Chief Minister, sources said, had demanded that load shedding be done away with even in high power theft prone areas but the federal government refused to accept that demand saying that only those areas will be declared load shed free where losses will be less than 10 per cent.

Power Division team apprised Chief Minister that it had declared Mardan as load shedding free after reduction in losses and if the same practice is implemented in other areas of KPK, there will be no load shedding.

The Chief Minister, KPK maintained that he was ready to work harder to reduce losses on the pattern of Mardan so that people of his province get uninterrupted supply of electricity.

In reply to a question, sources said, there was no discussion on selling PESCO/TESCO to the provincial government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024