Senate body approves Nepra Act
ISLAMABAD – The Senate Standing Committee on Power Thursday approved the Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill 2021, which would empower the government to impose up to 10 per cent surcharges on the power consumers.
The meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Power was held under the chairmanship of Saifullah Abro. The Senate body deliberated on the Bill “The Regulation of Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electric Power (Amendment) Bill, 2021” known as Nepra Act. The bill will empower the government to impose surcharges on the power consumers that would amount to 10 per cent of electricity cost or around Rs1.4 per unit.
Secretary Power said that to impose uniform electricity tariff they want amendment in Nepra act. He said that they also want to impose up to 10 percent surcharge under this act. He said that the surcharge will be used for the management of circular debt.
Senator Fida Mohammad asked secretary power whether the uniform tariff will also be applicable to K-Electric. Secretary Power replied said that KE is private company and to provide uniform tariff for the KE consumers the government has allocated Rs 54b in the federal budget.
Senator Fida further said that people of Karachi are suffering due to power outages. He said that electricity from the national grid is being provided to KE without any agreement. Managing Director KE said that the agreement will be signed soon.
Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar said that KE is not getting electricity as per its requirements. However, he said that the federal government will ensure to provide electricity to KE as per their demand. New agreement for the provision of electricity to KE from the national grid will be signed within one month, Hammad Azhar announced.
Hammad Azhar further said that the government has allocated Rs 100b to improve the transmission system.He claimed that the government has reduced the transmission and distribution losses by 2 percent. The minister said that the loadshedding is being done on the feeders with 70 percent losses.
Chairman of the committee alleged that in the past people were inducted in Discos on the basis of political affiliations and these politically appointed people are sending reduced electricity bills to politicians.
He said that Khurshid Shah was using upto 40 air conditioners but his power bill was amounting in thousands. Saifullah Abro said that the people appointed on the basis of political affiliations should be transferred to other stations.
Article source: https://nation.com.pk/25-Jun-2021/senate-body-approves-nepra-act