Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif and Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Pervez Khattak on Monday discussed progress on KPK's electricity-related demands forwarded by the Council of Common Interests (CCI) to the Ministry of Water and Power, well-informed sources told Business Recorder. Chief Minister KPK, sources said, raised the issue of prolonged load shedding in the province and asked the province be given its entire share in power generation.
Water and Power Minister replied that electricity supply is totally linked to recovery, adding that if the provincial government helps federal government in recovery, supply will improve. "We have asked the Chief Minister to make the DCO's committees more effective, help Disco improve recovery, and supply will be increased," the sources added. Chief Minister was informed 150 feeders in KPK where recovery is better have been declared load shedding free, the sources said, adding that this facility is not available to any other province.
The sources said, both Minister for Water and Power and Chief Minister KPK also discussed progress on four grid stations in different Districts which were delayed due to land procurement issues. Minister for Water and Power also sought provincial government's help to take action against electricity stealers and installation of meters so that those consumers who are enjoying direct connections should at least have meters. Chief Minister was assured that gird stations will be completed by December 2017 if provincial government resolves land procurement issues immediately.
According to sources, Minister for Water and Power directed Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) to sign back-to-back agreement with KPK government and NTDC for the purchase of 18MW electricity from Pehure hydropower project. Progress on Mechai hydropower project also came under discussion. The constraints of Pesco and NTDC also came under discussion. Chief Minister KPK also requested Minister for Water and Power for early payment of NHP dues.
The federal government has reportedly decided to increase Net Hydel Profit (NHP) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) from Rs 6 billion to Rs 16 billion per annum. In 2004-05, the amount of NHP was enough to finance 42 per cent of provincial budget. Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has raised Rs 25 billion from a consortium of banks to pay an agreed amount of NHP to the KPK government. The provincial government has also demanded the provision of sovereign guarantee for hydro or other IPPs owned by the government for projects above 50 MW by PEDCO. In the light of war on terror which inflicted colossal loss to the province, the government demanded adequate allocation, release and utilisation of public sector development programme in the province to be made non-lapsable. The document says that federal government released only 13 per cent funds to the company working in KPK which is appallingly low. The KPK government also demanded waiver of provincial government's financed projects from approval of CDWP and ECNEC, as according to the provincial government these committees have become a stumbling block in the way of completion of development projects.