The Senate Standing Committee on Power Wednesday took stern notice of the recent increase in the cost of electricity.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee was held at the Parliament House with Senator Saifullah Abro in Chair. The officials of the Power Division informed that as of March 2023, the per unit price of electricity stands at Rs. 30.55. The officials said that capacity payments to different independent power producers (IPPs) are a major reason behind the increase in per-unit cost.
Senator Saifullah Abro remarked that government should freeze capacity payments to IPPs by keeping in view the current inflation in the country. He also directed the Power Division to provide details of capacity payments made so far to IPPs in the next meeting.
The committee also took up the matter of construction of a 765KV, double transmission line from Dasu Hydro Power Station to Islamabad. The project was financed by World Bank with a cost of $700 million.
In the previous meeting, the committee recommended putting the agreement on hold and providing details of hiring the consultant. However, the World Bank has said that the committee is not authorized to halt the process.
Senator Abro said that World Bank is financing the project but it doesn’t allow it to dictate the terms and award the project to a blue-eyed consultant. Rana Abdul Jabbar Khan, MD NTDC, apprised that the project was advertised on 30th December 2016 and 20 firms submitted applications out of which six firms were shortlisted.
Senator Saifullah Abro remarked that the evidence submitted by NTDC clearly shows that irregularities have been committed, while awarding the contract to GOPA and directed the NTDC to submit all the necessary documents in the next meeting.
topi drame. were they sleeping in the last few years and just woke up. a country of incompetents
What drama there is no drama electricity cost should be approx. 50 Rs for every body too much subsidies have ruined the country.