NEPRA concerned over Disco’s inaccurate data
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Tuesday expressed serious concerns over the lack of authenticity in figures of power distribution companies (Discos) seeking an increase in Rs0.85 per unit increase in electricity tariff.
Vice-Chairman NEPRA, Saifullah Chatta, the regulator, presided over a meeting. He said that the regulator would verify figures before making any decision regarding an increase in tariff.
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In its petition, the XDiscos have requested the increase of tariff by Rs 0.86 per unit on the variation in Power Purchase Price (PPP) for the 4th quarter of the previous fiscal year. The total impact of the increase will be around Rs 85.2 billion. NEPRA had also conducted a hearing last month on the petition but deferred it as it had found the response of the distribution companies unsatisfactory.
On Tuesday, NEPRA has once again conducted the hearing on the petition for quarterly adjustments. The officials of the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) informed the power regulator-National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) that the capacity price figures of Qesco and Sepco did not match its figures.
Member Nepra Sindh, Rafiq Ahmad Shaikh, said that figures were not final even today. He questioned what they would tell the masses why figures had been changed later.
Vice-chairman Nepra observed involvement of Rs 81 billion capacity price customers did not utilize. He questioned how much of the electricity for which the Discos’ capacity payments were made had been utilized.
Nepra case officer said that they would verify the figures of Discos and CPPA. He said that 350,000 cases of new electricity connections were pending in Discos.
Member Sindh noted that the capacity price of Lesco was higher than other power distribution companies. He noted that capacity payment had jumped up due to the refusal of power companies to give consumers new electricity connections. Member Sindh termed it a criminal offense. He observed the involvement of power distribution companies in delaying tactics in installing new meters.
READ Expensive generation: Nepra launches inquiry.
He said that this was the incompetence of electricity companies for not installing new meters and forcing customers to pay the cost of incompetence.
However, Vice-chairman Nepra observed that an maount of Rs 81 billion capacity price invovled in such electricity the consumers did not utilized. He questioned how much of the electricity for which the capacity payments consumers paid and Discos did not utilize .
