Minister for Power seeks KP govt's cooperation in anti-power theft campaign
Pakistan
Awais Leghari in a letter to KP CM Gandapur, also sought time for a meeting.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) - Minister for Power Awais Leghari on Friday sought cooperation from the Khyber Pakhtukhwa government (KP) in the anti-power theft drive in the jurisdiction of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) and Tribal Electric Supply Company (TESCO).
The minister, in a letter to KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, also sought time for a meeting so that the issues concerning power pilferage, losses and recovery of bills and arrears could be discussed holistically for a joint strategy to improve the situation.
“As you are aware PESCO and TESCO operate in province of KP. These two organizations are among the low performing DISCOs which are contributing to ever increasing circular debt,” he said.
The minister said that during the current financial year, combined loss of Rs 188 billion, which includes under recovery and loss above NEPRA’s threshold, was anticipated in PESCO and TESCO.
“Critical high losses areas identified in PESCO include D.I. Khan, Bannu, Karak, Kohat, Shangla and ex-FR Regions,” he said in the letter.
The minister said the TESCO operated in former tribal areas, where there was serious problem of non-recovery and non-meterization, and due to those factors, the Company might make loss of Rs 51 billion in the current financial year.
He said to curb the issue of rampant theft, reduce losses and improve recovery, the Federal Government had launched a nation-wide anti-theft campaign.
