Due to losses: K-P threatened with increase in load-shedding

PESHAWAR: The state minister for water and power threatened on Tuesday to drastically increase load-shedding on electricity feeders in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as majority of the feeders continue to suffer from extremely high losses.

Of the province’s 867 feeders, 670 feeders were stolen, which are operating at losses of as much as 80 to 90%. The power minister, Abid Sher Ali, was quoted as saying at a news conference at Water and Power Development House in Peshawar.

According to the statement, the provincial government and the elected representatives will be taken on board to ensure a recovery, especially from the troubled areas of the province.

The elected representatives will be required to hold jirgas with residents in order to ensure the bills settlement. Ali further warned the government will cut off power supply to those areas where it is suffering intolerable losses.  According to him, some of the defaulters are indebted to millions of rupees as they have not paid their bills for years.

Ali explained the government was determined to eliminate the electricity crisis by the end of 2018. “We have started a special campaign against power thefts and also prioritise consumers’ concerns,” he said.

Regarding net hydel profits, the state minister only said the federal government was taking bold decisions to settle the issue, stressing that previous governments failed to do so.

However, Ali addressed the issue of tariff differential subsidies over which the K-P government is in dispute with Wapda. The minister said the issue will be discussed with the provincial government, insisting the K-P government has around Rs18-19 billion in outstanding dues owed to WAPDA.