KARACHI - Power consumption increased sharply during last ten years especially in the financial hub of the country. Keeping in view the shortage of gas and increasing fuel prices, K-Electric has embarked upon a plan to utilise coal resources to overcome these challenges, said Osama Qureshi Chief of Staff CEO K-Electric while exclusively talking with The Nation.
K-Electric was facing multiple challenges at distribution, revenue collection and policy stages, saying that these challenges could be overcome through deliberations with the stakeholders.
Qureshi said with the collection Rs 15 billion in term of billing K-Electric facilitate 2.5 million consumers where the organisation consumed 25 percent to it supply as loss.
He said, K-Electric shows significant growth during last five years compared to the worst era of the two decades before these year, after manage overall operations in power generation, transmission and distribution of electricity, the K-Electric has taken many initiatives with futuristic approach to maintain uninterrupted supply of power in this economic hub of the country.
As per span of time, demand and expectation of K-Electric consumers going up with new issues likewise the consumer demands for continuous supply of electricity just few years back but now they are demanding quick response in minimum time to resolve the issue.
According to the record 2004 witnessed instant increased of 500,000 air conditions, that proves change in life style brought heavy demands of power consumption and usually a single unit or house comprise over single window AC cater the demand of consume just twenty years back but now it replaced with minimum two or three air conditions, he said. 
The K-Electric has initiated work on a project to convert the existing furnace oil based capacity into coal-fired plants.
Coal-based plant is our main target that reduce the cost of power generation around fifty percent and there is no more furnace oil or gas plant, he added and said K-Electric change its Bin-Qasim plant on coal with the investment of $350 million which generates 420 mega watt on half price.
Qureshi explain that K-Electric receives 650 mega watt from national exchequer that plays a major role to maintain the gap of demand and supply, mostly question raised about that but it is pertinent to mention that it can make a little bit difference in load shedding of the country but extend the duration 4-6 hour in the financial hub of the country
He said demand and expectations raised time by time and now most of the industrial consumers demand for further betterment to maintain the smooth power supply to prevent the losses.
Commenting over the revenue collection, Qureshi said the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board is the biggest defaulter of the K-Electric and still not paid its full dues till the date while the matters about the payments with Pakistan Steel Mills and Sui Southern Gas Company near to settle.

He said due to poor collection of revenue the company franchised two area of the city which is Orangi and Gadap having 0.2 million consumes, where inside jobs mostly handle by the K-Electric staff, he added and said Korangi, Shah Faisal Colony and Malir were the most difficult area for K-Electric but the situation improved gradually.
He informed that maximum duration of the load shedding is 7:50 hours but it depends on the area. Hundred percent revenue collection areas of the city mostly exempted from load shedding while some consumers who pay their bills on time but facing long hours of load shedding because of adjacent to that which shows poorest revenue collection.
Osama Qureshi said K-Electric also participating in CSR activity and supply the power without any cost to some prestigious hospitals, schools and colleges.
The power company also launched a smart solution for its customers in the month of December to further reduce the numbers of complains as well as theft of power, he added.