HESCO, SEPCO: Sindh says no to paying bills if ban not lifted

Province wants centre’s sanction on new solar, wind projects removed.

KARACHI: Hardly looking to conceal its resentment, the Sindh government has said that it will not clear outstanding electricity bills of Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) and Sukkur Electric Supply Company (Sepco) until and unless the Ministry of Water and Power withdraws the notification that banned new solar and wind power projects.

It has also asked that load-shedding be rationalised in Sindh. This was stated after a meeting between the provincial government and the Ministry of Water and Power with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah on Monday.

Water and Power Secretary Younis Dhaga said that an overall amount of Rs9 billion was outstanding against the Sindh government departments located in Hyderabad and Sukkur. “Originally, the claimed amount was Rs17 billion but it became Rs9 billion after reconciliation of disputed power bills,” he said. “Of them, the Sindh government has to release Rs2.4 billion.”

Minister for Finance and Energy Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the provincial government was being maligned that it did not clear its electricity bills.

“As a matter of fact, Sindh was faced with inflated bills,” he said. “The example of amounts before and after reconciliation is a testament to that.” He added that the federal government has recently imposed a ban on the installation of wind and solar power plants, hindering the possibility of Sindh using its massive wind corridor.   

Published in The Express Tribune, April 28^th,  2015.

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