ISLAMABAD-A Senate panel has said that NEPRA is giving a bitter dose of Rs3 to Rs4 per unit hike in tariff in routine to the consumers and is keeping the whole nation on toes.
The Senate Committee on Energy, which met under the chairmanship of Senator Saifullah Abro, was informed by the Power Division that the recovery in the ongoing anti-power theft drive has reached Rs1 billion per day and it is expected that the total collection will reach Rs 150 billion within next four to five months. At the outset of the meeting, Senator Saifullah Abro expressed reservations on the absence of chairman NEPRA and all its provincial members from the Committee meeting.
Chairman of the committee asked that where is Chairman NEPRA?. There is a meeting of the authority in Nepra, official of NEPRA replied. Abro asked where are the members of Nepra? Nepra members are also in meeting with, the official informed. He said that NEPRA seems to avoid the meetings of Senate Power Committee because they do not have the courage to answer the questions raised by the members on this forum.
Senator Saifullah alleged that at the time of the illegal extension of KAPCO, the incumbent Chairman NEPRA, Waseem Mukhtar, was additional Secretary Power Division. Abro immediately sought details on the incumbency report of Additional Secretary Power Division from January 2021 - December 2021 to determine as to why the Chairman NEPRA is absent from the Committee meeting and also with regard to agenda item pertaining to illegal extension of KAPCO Power Plant.
The chairman Committee inquired on the amount of energy payment made to KAPCO Power Plant whose agreement had already expired in June 2021. Official of the Power Division replied that Rs. 151 billion was paid as energy payment to KAPCO Power Plant out of which 95 percent were fuel charges.
The committee members inquired on the reasons of illegal extension and said that whatever work between KAPCO Power Plant and Power Division took place after the expiry of the agreement may deem to be illegal. Abro said that not even the extension was illegal but the Power Division does not even hold the authority to give extensions to IPPs. Regarding the payments made to IPPs, the officials informed that under policy 2002 onwards the payments are been paid by NEPRA. The chairman committee inquired that if so is the case then on which basis, NEPRA has issued a show cause notice and sought explanation on the extension from CPPA-G.
Chairman of the Committee said that NEPRA approval was not sought for the extension of KAPCO’s agreement. The committee deferred the matter for further deliberation and inquired on the details of breakup of Rs151 billion as energy payment paid to KAPCO Power Plant. The committee also sought the fine charged to CPPA-G on the same .The CPPA-G officials also briefed the committee about the members of BoD, Kot Addu Power Company Limited members including its Chairman Lt. General (Retd) Sajjad Ghani. The committee sought full details about the BOD, members before next Committee meeting.
The committee was also apprised by the ministry that the electricity theft campaign has proven to be very fruitful and the ministry was able to recover appropriately Rs.10 billion during the campaign. It was apprised that the campaign continues in different districts and areas of the country on different models. The committee recognized the efforts of the ministry and recommended to give appreciation certificates to the officers who led the campaign. The Committee chair recommended that the recovery should be utilized as relief for the people of Pakistan. The ministry anticipated that a recovery of around Rs. 150 billion is expected within 3 -4 months.