Govt Forms Inquiry Committee Over Issue of Overbilling by DISCOs

The Ministry of Energy has constituted an inquiry committee into the issue of excessive billing and other matters raised by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) in its recent inquiry report.

The order issued by the ministry notifying the inquiry committee said that distribution companies (DISCOs) have challenged the data and information that form the basis for the NEPRA report but have also shown complete dissatisfaction with the findings.

The order further said that the findings of the NEPRA report and concerned DISCOs’ position are so “grave and serious” that if the veracity of the matter is not established through an independent and impartial inquiry and if so established remedial measures are not taken timely, it will not only damage the power sector but will also be seen as a failure of policy objective of the federal government at the peril of losing public trust.

Former Federal Secretary Irfan Ali will be the convener of the committee while Zargham Ishaq Khan, MD, Nespak, Abid Lodhi, Consultant USAID, and Dr Fiaz Chaudhary, Director Energy Institute, LUMS will be the members of the committee.

Saqib Jamal, General Manager, PPMC will act as the Secretary to the Committee and NESPAK will provide all necessary secretarial and logistic services for the conduct of this inquiry.

The Terms of Reference (ToRs) of the inquiry committee will be as under:

(a) to review and examine the NEPRA Report, its basis, assumptions, relevant laws, data, and information provided in and relied upon in juxtaposition to the data and information provided by Power Information Technology Company (PITC) and concerned DISCOs;

(b) To review and analyze the sampling methodology and interpolation techniques employed by NEPRA that form the basis of the findings in the NEPRA Report;

(c) To review the cyclical trends of highlighted issues in the NEPRA Report for year-on-year and month-on-month comparisons;

(d) To review and analyze the trends as found mentioned in the NEPRA Report and confirm and quantify if any consumers or class thereof have been billed against more than a monthly cycle or three sixty-five (365) days;

(e) If required, to examine and record the statements of officials of the DISCOs or members of the inquiry committee constituted by NEPRA that finalized the NEPRA Report;

(f) To take into consideration any other data, information, document, or instrument which is germane to and necessary for the above and to do all acts and things that are incidental and consequential to the above; and

(g) In view of its findings, to submit clear recommendations for consideration of the competent authority and shall also fix individual responsibility, if any, established during the course of proceedings.

The committee will submit its detailed report within fifteen (15) days.