The Senate Standing Committee on Power Division was informed on Tuesday that “liabilities” was the main issue in the privatization of K-Electric to Shanghai Electric Power.
Briefing the Senate panel, which met with Senator Fida Muhammad in the chair, Power Division Secretary Irfan Ali said that public departments and companies, including Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) and the National Transmission and Despatch Company, owed Rs. 125 billion to KE.
He said that a mechanism should be evolved to sort out the KE liabilities issue. KE also owes some dues to the government departments, he added. He also suggested appointing a retired judge of Supreme Court for arbitration.
The committee was apprised that as many as 333 connections were provided to Afghan refugee camps in the country and the outstanding amount against the camps stood at Rs. 247 million.
Peshawar Electric Supply Company Chief Dr. Amjad Khan told the committee that single and three phase connections were provided to the camps, which have now been disbanded. “The existing camps are regularly paying their bills,” he added.
The secretary Power Division said transformers should be placed only in specified areas. He also assured the committee that PEPCO team would conduct an inquiry in this regard.
He said the power distribution companies would not collect any amount for repair of transformers and the damaged transformers would be replaced immediately.
The committee said the consumers were not being provided wire and pipes for installing new connections despite collecting charges from them and recommended that such collection under these heads should be stopped.
The meeting was also attended by Senators Muhammad Akram, Mushahid Ullah Khan, Moula Bux Chandio, Shahmim Afridi, Nauman Wazir Khattak, Syed Muhammad Ali Shah, Dilawar Khan Lt. Gen (R) Salahuddin Tirmizi and senior officers of the Power Division, NTDC, TESCO, PEPCO, PESCO, K-Electric.
