The USAID Power Distribution Programme (PDP) has helped in preventing loss of around Rs 18 billion each year in Pakistan's economy and also improved revenues. The USAID, under its $ 218 million programme, introduced a series of initiatives in partnership with government owned power distribution companies from 2010 to 2015 and as a result also added Rs 40 billion revenues to these companies.
The other benefit of the programme was saving of around 20 MW of electricity for distribution to other customers.
According to an USAID official here on Friday, the key projects implemented under the programme were improvement in governance, training and financial management.
The USAID support has played an important role in building power sector's sustainability such as the multi-year tariff policy will go a long way in strengthening financial performance of power distribution companies and the sector itself.
Moreover, under the programme loss reduction equipment were provided mostly to Peshawar Electricity Supply Company (PESCO) and Multan Electricity Supply Company (MEPCO) which included 89,000 capacitors for agricultural tubewells, 125 switch capacitors, 1,000 km anti-theft cable and 1,539 high efficiency industrial motors and 252 municipal tubewells.
Under the programme, the customer services at PESCO and MEPCO were also improved, 31,000 employees were imparted training, ten training centres upgraded while eight Information Technology (IT) Labs were set up. The meter reading was also improved primarily at PESCO and MESCO as more than 0.2 million meters were replaced. The advanced metering systems were also installed.
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