Senate Panel Concerned over absence of NEPRA chairman, members

Staff Report

The Senate Standing Committee on Power has expressed displeasure over the absence of the Chairman and Members of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) from the meeting and decided to issue a summon for the Chairman of NEPRA and all its Members to attend the next meeting.

The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Power was held on Thursday at the Old PIPS Hall in Parliament Lodges, with Senator Saifullah Abro in the chair.Nepra questions Dollar Indexation for solar power plants in Sindh

Expressing annoyance over the absence of the NEPRA Chairman from the meeting, the Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Power asked why the Chairman of NEPRA did not attend the meeting.

“We have appointed Wasim Mukhtar as the Chairman of NEPRA, and if he wants to continue his job as the Chairman of NEPRA, then he should attend the meeting.

The Chairman of NEPRA and the Members of NEPRA should be asked to come to the meeting immediately,” Senator Saifullah Abro said.

In response to the Chairman of the committee, NEPRA officials informed that he was busy in an important meeting.

Senators support crackdown on electricity theft

Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi said that they support the crackdown against electricity theft. “For the first time, we have seen something happen for meter supply and recovery,” said Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi.

Additional Secretary of the Power Division, Arshad Majid, told the Senate Committee that the crackdown against electricity theft was launched on September 7 and the Distribution Companies (DISCOs) were asked to take strict measures to recover Rs. 589 billion.

He said that the performance of the DISCOs was disappointing in the first four days as they recovered only Rs. 2.5 crores. However, strict action was taken against the DISCOs and the recovery increased to Rs. 1 billion during the next three days.

He said that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PESCO was removed yesterday as he failed to increase the recovery. So far, eight officers of IESCO have been suspended while an officer of SEPCO has been handed over to the FIA on allegations of corruption, said the Additional Secretary of the Power Division.

The chairman of the Senate committee asks who is responsible for the disaster

Upon this, the Chairman of the Senate committee said that it was good that a corrupt officer had been caught.

He also asked who was responsible for this disaster and why the ministry was asleep earlier. He said that the Secretary of the Power Division did not have the courage to come to this meeting and tell the details.

“The Secretary of the Power Division should be changed because he did not stop the deterioration of the power sector despite passing a long time,” said Senator Saif Ullah Abro, Chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Power.

Senators demand that the Secretary of Power Division and caretaker Energy Minister attend the meeting

Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi said that the Secretary of the Power Division and the caretaker Energy Minister should attend this meeting.

Upon this, the Chairman of the Senate Committee, Senator Saifullah Abro, instructed to call the Secretary of the Power Division to attend the meeting today.

He also said that if the interim energy minister thinks that he has only come to enjoy for only three months, then it is fine, otherwise if he is serious about solving the problems of the energy sector, he should immediately come to attend the meeting.

Senate Committee applauds Power Division for taking swift action against line losses and electricity theft

The Senate Committee applauded the Power Division for taking swift action against the line losses and electricity theft in different DISCOs.

Additional Secretary of the Power Division, Arshad Majid, informed that approximately Rs. 1 billion worth of recovery has been made in the last few days and the Power Division has also reshuffled the officers of various DISCOs to ensure its efficiency.

The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Saifullah Abro, stated that the Power Division should also reshuffle the CEOs of DISCOs and the Boards of Directors of various authorities, who allegedly have acted malafide and diminished the capacity of the power sector.

Senate body expresses annoyance over non-implementation of Committee recommendations

The Senate body expressed annoyance over the non-implementation of the Committee’s recommendations relating to the 765kV double circuit transmission line from Dasu Hydro Power Station to Islamabad.

The Additional Secretary of the Power Division informed that the ministry has constituted a Committee to investigate the matter and the report will be submitted once it is completed.

Senator Saifullah Abro reiterated that the committee has explicitly identified irregularities in the bidding process for the “Construction of 765kV double circuit transmission line from Dasu Hydro Power Station to Islamabad”, but the irony is that, despite making recommendations several times to take action against the alleged officials