The zero load-shedding feeders include Lesco 1227, Gepco 748, Fesco 896, Lesco 710, Mepco 763, Pesco 309, Hesco , 204, Quesco 61, and tribal areas 29 feeders. In an official statement before the National Assembly Standing Committee on Energy headed by Ch. Bilal Ahmed Virk, the Minister said that financial losses of Discos have increased substantially after he had declared that there will be no load shedding on feeders below 10 per cent losses.
Talking to Business Recorder, the Minister said that the Ministry and Discos are calculating financial impact of zero load-shedding on feeders with below 10 per cent losses. "Financial crunch is significant and the government cannot bear it. If un-interrupted supply is ensured, which is possible, it will have an additional financial impact of Rs 300-400 billion per annum," he added.
In reply to a question, the Minister said he would share additional details of additional financial burden on the power sector after the announcement of zero load shedding. "We will present financial burden of December 2017 and January 2018 as compared to corresponding months the year before next week," he said adding that increase in outages hours does not mean load shedding rather it will be load management," the Minister continued.
The committee approved the list of 156 development projects of Power Division for fiscal year 2018-19 at a total cost of Rs 193 billion, to be referred to Planning and Development Division for processing.
The Minister for Power Division urged the committee to also approve Rs 200 billion worth of projects for solarisation of agriculture tubewells in Balochistan. The entire project's cost is Rs 300 billion designed to solarise 300 agriculture tubewells as the federal government is paying Rs 26 billion per annum subsidy for this purpose whereas the amount contributed by the provincial government is Rs 30 billion. The agriculture tube-well owners are to pay Rs 10,000 per month for one tube-well but few pay this amount.
"The government (federal and provincial) pay Rs 50 billion as subsidy on agriculture tubewells and if this amount is spent on solarisation, the government will not have to pay a subsidy after few years," he added. Chief Planning Division (Energy) informed the committee that the project has already passed two phases of approval and if the committee recommends it for PSDP, it will be included in the development projects.
Chairman Committee argued that the committee has to submit recommended projects to the Speaker by the end of the current month to be sent onward to Planning and Development Division as the budget session is expected in May 2018. The term of incumbent National Assembly will expire on June 5, 2018.
An official informed the meeting that there is no shortage of material required to complete the project however Members of the committee, Syed Saqlain Shah Bukhari and Malik Ihtibar Khan challenged the official's contention saying that they personally know schemes are being delayed due to shortage of material. Awais Leghari acknowledged that Discos are facing shortage of material. This compelled the official to change his stance and he accepted that the members are right.
Minister for Power, suggested that there should be a central office which should co-ordinate with the Discos to provide an updated status of Discos development schemes so that members of Parliament are given updated status of their schemes. Imran Khattak enquired about reasons for the delay in establishment of grid stations in Nowshera and other areas of KPK.
Managing Director National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) apprised the committee about upgradation of transmission system and grid stations. He also mentioned issues being faced by the company to get land for grid stations in KPK.
Chairperson OGRA, Uzma Adil informed the committee that SNGPL has submitted a petition to the regulator, seeking one time permission to increase gas connection limit from 0.3 million to 1 million to clear the backlog. She said that the regulator will give its decision within a week's time on the SNGPL petition. Nawab Yusuf Talpur and Shahjahan Muneer Mangrio raised issues relating to Sindh-based Discos. Mian Tariq Mehmood and Shehryar Afridi raised the issue of removed PSO employees. Chairman Standing Committee said that the next meeting of the committee will be held in Karachi during which issues relating to SSGCL, PSO and Sindh-based Discos would be discussed.