The Senate Standing Committee on Power was informed on Friday by officials of the Power Division during a meeting that gas supply would be further reduced by January 15.
The meeting was chaired by committee chairman Senator Saifullah Abro. The members of the committee expressed their displeasure over the exorbitant increase in electricity bills in terms of fuel price adjustment.
Senator Hidayatullah Khan and Senator Fida Muhammad raised the issue of fuel price adjustment in electricity bills. Senator Hidayatullah said that the electricity bill of his Parliamentary Lodge was Rs. 32,000 last month and out of which Rs. 18,362 was the electricity price while the rest of the bill was of taxes.
Senator Fida Muhammad said that the electricity bills of industry in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are very high. Senator Sana Jamali said that there was 12 hours’ load shedding in Quetta but the bills are still very high.
Officials of the Power Division said that furnace oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal have become more expensive since October and gas supply would be further reduced by January 15.
The Secretary Power Division told the committee that the ministry has very little role in the determination of tariffs. He said that the country is facing an acute gas shortage. He added that in the absence of adequate gas to generate electricity, power division resorts to other means to run the power plants, which leads to higher bills. He said that about 600,000 lifeline customers are not charged for fuel price adjustment.
The committee chairman sought details regarding the mechanism of fuel price adjustment in the next meeting. He said that the contract of K-Electric expired in 2015 but the agreement has not been revised yet, which indicates the seriousness of the power division and institutions. Additional Secretary Power Division assured the committee that the agreement with K-Electric will be signed within the current government’s tenure.
The non-participation of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) chairman in the committee also angered the chairman. He directed the vice-chairman NEPRA to ensure the participation of chairman NEPRA in the next meeting.
When the chairman of the committee asked about the extension of Kot Addu Power Company (KAPCO) agreement till October 2022, NEPRA officials said that they do not have the authority to look into the affairs of KAPCO and the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CCPA) has extended KAPCO agreement. He informed the committee that the authority has sought details of the agreement.
The committee also sought details of the members on the board of directors (BoD) of power companies as well as benefits drawn by them.
The meeting was attended by Senators Fida Muhammad, Hidayatullah Khan, Prince Ahmed Umer Ahmedzai, Sana Jamali, Saifullah Sarwar Khan Niazi. Secretary and Additional Secretary Power Division, GENCO and NEPRA officials, CEO HESCO and SEPCO also attended the meeting.
