Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) has blamed stakeholders for the current massive loadshedding as receivables against different sectors have crossed Rs 600 billion mark for the first time, well informed sources told Business Recorder. "As the mercury is going up, Discos have unleashed unscheduled load shedding in semi-urban and rural areas whereas electricity is being supplied as per schedule in big cities," the sources added.
National Power Control Centre (NPCC), sources said, allocates quota to all the Discos with the direction to divide the quota according to their own priorities. Presently, a gap between electricity demand and generation is recorded at 4500 MW as demand is hovering around 16000 MW whereas generation is 11500 MW. However, Additional Secretary Incharge Ministry of Water and Power, Younas Dagha, who is in Dubai for talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under the seventh review, claimed that average loadshedding on May 1, 2014 was for 10 hours in urban, 11 hours in rural and 8 eight hours in industry.
He further claimed that this year average load shedding on May 1, 2015 was 6 hours in urban, 8 hours in rural and maximum 6 hours for industry. "Beginning is good, let''s hope it stays that way," he added. Pepco, which still controls the entire power sector, maintains that power sector is facing acute shortage of funds in the wake of non-payments by stakeholders, adding that in order to reduce load shedding in the country funds are required on an urgent basis to make payments to the Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
According to Sabir Ali Khan, Chief Financial Officer (Pepco), presently Rs 35.722 billion is outstanding against K-Electric on account of energy supply to K-Electric and a mark-up of Rs 20.571 billion totalling Rs 56.293 billion. Pepco has approached its parent Ministry to request Finance Ministry for release of Rs 20 billion against the sale of power to K Electric for onward payment to power generators to reduce circular debt and load shedding as per policy decision of GoP. An official told Business Recorder that Pakistan State Oil (PSO), which is hesitant to take policy decisions without permanent Managing Director and BoD, has warned the Federal Government that it will collapse if an arrangement for payment of Rs 10 billion is not made urgently. The sources said different departments of federal government, KPK, Sindh, Punjab, AJ&K and private sector are the key defaulters of Discos who have been unable to recover billions of rupees from their defaulters. Sources added that Sindh representatives do not even bother to attend meetings being convened by the Ministries of Finance and Water and Power and have also registered their strong opposition to the proposal of deduction at source.