ISLAMABAD - A Parliamentary Committee was yesterday informed that there would be no power loadshedding during Sehr and Iftar timings in the upcoming holy month of Ramazan. To ensure power supply to domestic consumers during Sehr and Iftar timings, it has been decided to end zero loadshedding for industries in Ramazan, Secretary Minister of Water and Power Muhammad Younas Daga told the Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power.
The Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power met in the chair of Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasar and reviewed loadshedding schedule announced for the summer 2016, loadshedding plan during the holy month and functioning of power distribution companies. Chairman of the Committee directed the Ministry to ensure no loadshedding should take place in Sehr and Iftar throughout the country, including Karachi. The Secretary Water and Power said that to ensure smooth supply to domestic consumers during Sehr and Iftar it has been decided that loadshedding will be resumed for the industrial sector.
Secretary Water and Power informed the Committee that currently zero loadshedding was being observed on industrial feeders and it will not be a big deal if they face some loadshedding in Ramazan. Regarding loadshedding in Karachi, he said that directives were issued to K-Electric to ensure power supply during Sehr and Iftar and negotiation was underway with the company in this regard.
The Secretary said that to provide better services to the consumers of Karachi the monopoly of K-Electric needs to be ended. More distribution companies should be allowed to work in Karachi for power supply, he said ,adding, that it will create competitive environment and consumers will get quality services. Younas apprised the Committee that the accumulative power generation was 19,700MW. Some 36 per cent electricity was being generated through hydel, 30 per cent from furnace oil and eight per cent from Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), he added.
The Secretary said that by the end of 2017 the country production will be more than its demand. He said two nuclear projects of 680MW are ready.
Senator Nisar Muhammad said that the nuclear electricity is expensive and enquired about per unit cost of nuclear power generation. The Secretary said that he has no knowledge about the price and will ask from the Atomic Energy Commission. The Chairman Committee said that in Balochistan cheap wind and solar power can be generated.
Pakistan is poor country, why are you generating expensive power for the poor consumers, Yaqoob Nasir questioned.
Yunus Dagha said that some wind projects having accumulative capacity of 200MW would start generation in June while another 200MW will be added from solar generation system. As many as 2400MW RLNG based electricity would be added to the national grid, he added.
Senator Nauman Wazir said that in Pakistan solar electricity is expensive as in throughout the world it is Rs 3 per unit while in Pakistan it is Rs 12 per unit. Secretary Water and Power informed that the issue was raised with the NEPRA and the govt has so far refused to accept 17 tariff notification of NEPRA.
Some of the tariff determination done by NEPRA is unacceptable and the govt is moving to court to reduce the tariff, he informed. The price of wind power was reduced from Rs 14.5 per unit to Rs 10.5, he said ,adding, that solar tariff will expire in June and after that the power will be purchased at Rs 10.5 per unit.
Yunus Daga said the transmission system in the country was not sufficient for supplying of power to the consumers.
The Committee was apprised that National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) was facing problems for acquiring land for setting up Chakdra and Nowshera grid stations.
He said that power recoveries stood at 93.4 per cent while losses were curtailed up to 18 per cent.
By increasing the recoveries to 93.4 per cent, one billion rupees was saved while by reducing the line losses to 18 per cent Rs 10 billion was saved, he added.
The Ministry has a net saving of Rs 51 billion, the Secretary said. However Senator Nauman Wazir rejected the claim stating that the revenue collection was increased by sending fake units to the consumers.
The consumers are being charged extra, he added. Nauman Wazir alleged that consumers are being charged Rs 12 per unit in the day time while in night they are being charged Rs 18 per unit. Secretary Water and Power said that in October 2014 the circular debt was Rs 320 billion and it was reduced by Rs 2 billion to Rs 318 billion.
The Committee also raised the issue of increasing the power tariff by Rs 2 per unit to pay off the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa dues of net hydel profit. The Committee noted that it is injustice to transfer the burden to the consumers.
There was exchanged of harsh word, between Secretary Water and Power and Senator Nauman Wazir over the issue of net hydel profit. Senator Nauman Wazir said that Rs 70 billion paid by the govt to KP was not a favour but it was the right of the province.
Senator Taj Haider said that the govt should focus on solar energy generation in Punjab and should reduce the import of fuel for power generation. Senator Ijaz Dhamra said that the GENCOS and DISCOS officials don’t listen to anyone.
“Going to DISCOS office and police station is alike,” he added. He said that in Sindh the people are still facing up to 20 hours loadshedding. He said that HESCO chief was retired but he is still performing his duties. Similarly, 18 employees were recruited in HESCO without any advertisement.
The Committee directed to furnish the details of the officials working on deputation in the Ministries.
Similarly, it was also asked that how many Ph.ds, Master degree holders and energy experts are working in the Ministry.
The meeting was attended by Senators Nisar Muhammad, Nouman Wazir, Ahmed Hassan and other officials.