Lesco Chief Executive Officer Wajid Ali Kazmi revealed this while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Wednesday. He expressed his resolve to get rid of all issues like power thefts, power breakdowns and corruption and said that online application system for new connections would not only make the process more easier but human links would also be abolished.
He said that initially the system would be started from general consumer in around 191 sub-divisions. The line losses were being reduced while recovery was getting better, he said, adding the Lesco had set the target to bring the line losses down to the single digit. He said mobile meter reading had helped reduce line losses, adding soon the big consumers would also come under that procedure and new software is being introduced in that regard.
Lesco is contributing 25 percent in the total revenue generation of the distributions companies. He said 0.7 million new meters were being purchased while 180,000 faulty meters would be replaced with the new ones. He said power transmission system was being upgraded to avoid untoward incidents.
He said sub-divisional officers of all divisions had been given the task to identify and rectify almost 50 points where system needed to be repaired. He said transformers of heavy capacity had been installed to get rid of the overloading issue. "Loadshedding-free era would be started by the end of 2017 as 10,000MW of electricity would be inducted in the system," he said and called for energy saving, saying that saving one megawatt of electricity was much cheaper than its generation.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI President Abdul Basit said the situation of power supply was far better and industry was getting almost interrupted electricity but its high price needed to be brought down. The line losses and electricity theft were the major reasons of energy crisis therefore the line losses should be brought down to single digit from existing 14 percent, he added.
He said electricity theft should be stopped through latest technology and strict action should be taken against the Lesco staff involved in malpractices. Abdul Basit said though over-billing had been reduced after mobile meter reading but still a lot of work had to be done. He said that circle of mobile meter reading should be enhanced while timely reading of meters should also be ensured. He also called for separation of industrial and domestic feeders and said that haphazard power supply system in the market could cause untoward incident. LCCI Vice President Nasir Hameed Khan urged the Lesco chief to have monthly meeting with representatives of the Lahore Chamber and said that a committee was formed in the past having the representatives of both the organisations must be activated.