Urging efficiency: CM orders effective power utilisation

Assures full support from provincial govt in power recovery

PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has asked Pesco authorities to ensure the complete utilisation of the electricity quota of the province and curb load-shedding.

This was stated in a handout issued by the CM’s Secretariat. He issued this statement while attending a briefing on electricity utilisation and other matters at the Pesco headquarters in Peshawar.

K-P Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan, Strategic Support Unit Chairman Sahibzada Saeed, Energy and Power Secretary Naveed Khan, Pesco Board Chairman Malik Asad, the power utility’s chief executive Anwarul Haq Yousafzai and others were present on the occasion.

Pesco authorities briefed the CM about electricity utilisation, problems faced in controlling illegal power usage and steps being taken to rectify the situation.

The CM voiced his concerns over unscheduled outages in the province and called it an injustice with the people.

He directed the power utility’s authorities to effectively utilise the 13.5% allocated quota of the province. Khattak assured Pesco officials of the complete cooperation of the provincial government in controlling illegal connections and ensuring recovery.

The CM also ordered committees be constituted on the district level to check irregularities in power distribution and speed up recovery.

He also advised a joint awareness campaign by Pesco and the provincial government for the proper utilisation of power.

The chief minister asked Pesco authorities to take action again staff involved in irregularities.

Schedule devised

A schedule was devise to curtail load-shedding. It was decided that there would be no prolonged power outages in areas where recovery the rate was more than 70%.

Pesco authorities agreed to install a monitoring system in the energy and power secretary’s office to show real time generation and utilisation data.

The chief minister ordered a “time-bound schedule” to avoiding unnecessary delays in the electrification process of various areas of K-P. He also decided to hold a high-level meeting in this regard. He concluded a plan was devised to solve the low voltage problem in the province.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 20^th, 2016.