ISLAMABAD: Power Minister Awais Leghari announced on Friday that the nation would soon hear good news from negotiations with independent power producers (IPPs). He emphasized that they are working to lower electricity prices. However, immediate relief is unlikely.
Power Minister Awais Leghari testified before the Senate Standing Committee on Power. He mentioned that he led a task force formed by the prime minister. This task force completed a comprehensive review of the power sector. “The people will soon get good news about the IPPs,” Leghari said. He also assured the committee that he would provide more details soon.
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The minister explained that the task force had closely examined the rate of return on equity (ROE) and operation and maintenance (O&M) costs of both public and private power projects. The review also looked into the technologies used by various IPPs, along with their investments and expenses.
However, Leghari emphasized that the government would not act unilaterally on agreements signed with the IPPs. They are making all decisions in consultation with power producers to ensure transparency.
He also stated that they would make the progress of these discussions public in the coming weeks. The talks with the IPPs focused on their profitability, but Leghari did not provide a definitive timeline for any price reduction.
In response to a query, Leghari revealed that they had returned Rs80 billion to consumers of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) after they overcharged a few months ago.
Senate Committee Takes on Overbilling and Poor Service
During the meeting chaired by Senator Mohsin Aziz, the Senate Standing Committee on Power discussed the widespread issue of overbilling and the poor performance of electricity distribution companies.
Senator Palwasha Muhammad Zai Khan raised concerns about inaccurate meter readings and shared her personal experience. She revealed that her family visited Lesco offices 28 times in just three months, only to face misconduct from the staff. Senator Palwasha suggested that a “mafia” might be involved and called for the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to intervene.
She further argued that if her family, with its resources, received such treatment, ordinary citizens must be facing much worse conditions. Senator Aziz agreed and stressed the public importance of this issue, noting that common people likely suffer even more.
A senior official from the power division responded, stating that they had already taken steps. They transferred the person responsible for the faulty meter readings and cancelled the erroneous bills.
Leghari Defends Power Distribution System
Minister Leghari responded to Senator Palwasha’s complaints by noting that the issue fell under customer care, not directly related to electricity distribution. He mentioned the availability of a toll-free number, 118, for complaints. Calls made to this number are directed to the relevant distribution companies for action.
Leghari added that the government was working to implement a computerized system at the subdivision level. This system aims to ensure that complaints are addressed effectively. “We are striving to make real changes,” he said, stressing that transferring employees alone would not resolve the deeper issues in the system.
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