LAHORE Power pilferage, over billing and growing corruption in distribution companies have become the main hurdle in power sector reforms, TheNation has learnt here. Under the power sector reforms, the government has recently notified the reconstitution of Board of Directors (BoDs) of eight power distribution companies along with National Transmission Dispatch Company (NTDC), a step towards the reforms. However, the insiders believe that the power sector reform agenda which addressed the interrelated crises that were affecting the power sector might take years to become viable. These crises were efficiency crisis; fuel crisis; financial crisis, financial discipline crisis, governance crisis, investment and financing crisis and above of all the rising mismanagement trends inside the distribution companies. The sources in the power sector said the growing corruption trends in the distribution companies, over billing by the meter readers, power pilferage, equalization of tariff for power consumers across the country and other issues are yet to be addressed. This was learnt that the ratio of power pilferage was high in Peshawar which was up to 35 percent, Hesco witnessed 35 percent, Qesco 20 percent, Mepco 20 percent, Lesco 13 percent and Fesco noted 11 percent pilferage. The consumers stole electricity with the help of the officials especially with the help of meter readers, the sources said adding the electricity pilferage is directly proportional to the price of power. Earlier, when three red LED electricity meters were introduced, it was claimed that now no consumer would dare to pilferage electricity as red LED would switch off with an automatic mechanism. But the fact is that these three red LED meters could be seen hanging on poles and outside consumer houses without eliminating three red lights and no one from lower staff to upper staff of respective divisional offices dare to point out these defective meters. The Pepcos dissolution is likely to be completed in June as independent BoDs of DISCOS have been constituted.