The Senate Standing Committee on Power was informed on Monday that the capacity payments in the current financial year (FY24) stand at Rs 1.3 trillion.
The meeting of the committee, chaired by Senator Saifullah Abro, was also told that the US Dollar to Pakistani rupee exchange rate, imported coal price, RLNG price, and KIBOR are the major factors that determine the capacity payments.
The committee discussed the unprecedented electric bills that have led to nationwide protests. Senator Saifullah Sarwar Khan Nyazee asked about the electricity theft and electricity subsidy for FY24. Officials stated that electricity theft stood at Rs. 467 billion in FY23.
It was disclosed that 189,000 WAPDA employees were provided with 340 million free units of electricity worth Rs. 8 billion every year.
The grade 16 officers get 300 free units, grade 17 officers get 450 units, grade 18 officers get 600 units, 19 grade officers get 880 units, grade 20 officers get 1,100 units while grade 21 and 22 WAPDA officers are getting 1,300 free units per month.
The committee directed the Power Division to provide a list of defaulters and outstanding dues in each DISCO in the next meeting. Senator Abro said that IPPs are the primary reason behind the unjustified electricity costs.
He pointed out that IPPs have inflated the invoices of three significant power plants, a fact acknowledged by the Secretary Power Division. He maintained that unless the IPP issue is resolved, the electricity crisis cannot be effectively tackled.
