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Summary NA body has asked NEPRA to make its public complaints cell more effective.
Meeting of National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat was held here on Monday in the Parliament House with Dewan Aashiq Bokhari in which comprehensive briefing given over National Electric and Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).During the meeting Standing Committee showed strong concerns regarding public complaint cell which is not facilitating consumers in the country. Legislators said that on certain occasions complaints were registered with NEPRA however immediate steps were not taken to address those complaints.They emphasized for immediate steps to make the authority accountable and to bring certain reforms in it. Legislative body recommended NEPRA officials to strengthen consumer affairs section of the authority to make it more friendly and to facilitate masses.To provide cheap electricity to the consumers through alternate resources standing committee asked NEPRA to facilitate solar power technology and also to facilitate those companies which wants to invest in this sector.Legislative body also asked Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources and Ministry of Water and Power to ensure their presence during the next meeting for comprehensive discussion over certain issues of NEPRA.Legislative body asked NEPRA officials to submit copies of agreement between NEPRA and power distribution companies and give all the details that under which conditions these agreements were made.Body also showed its concerns over appointment of Chairman NEPRA and said that influential people are appointed as chairman NEPRA. They directed officials to give details pertaining to the criteria of appointment of Chairman NEPRA.During the meeting, officials of NEPRA informed the committee that finances are the major issue for the body to enhance its generation. Officials said that power generation from furnace oil is expensive as compared to gas as generation cost from RFO is Rs 17/kwh while from gas it is Rs 7/kwh while from HSD it is Rs 20/kwh. They said that hurdles in smooth supply of gas results into less power generation and also creates problems.
