The business community of South Punjab has sharply reacted on the proposed increase in hydel power charges by 117 percent describing it detrimental to country's industry and manufacturing sector. President of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) Mian Iqbal Hassan said that Hydel energy charges would increase to Rs 3.78 per unit if Nepra allowed to Wapda to revise its charges. It is to be noted that Nepra has already allowed Hydel energy charges to 2.76 per unit without any solid reasons in July 2014 to April 2015.
Mian Iqbal Hassan said that Pakistan Hydel generation capacity is 7000MW and 1/3 of total energy production and is the only cheapest source. The Wapda has also admitted this fact that on 27th of June 2015, they have generated 138 million units from Tarbella at a cost of Rs 0.92 per unit and storage of water having volume 9.015 million acre feet. Moreover, Wapda has been charging Hydel surcharge from 1977 and also Neelam-Jahlam Hydel surcharge from consumers which are only meant for construction of large size dams and production of electricity at cheap rates for consumers. We strongly demand an enquiry from Wapda by an independent commission regarding Hydel surcharges.