Easing shortages: IESCO provides 16 net-metering connections

Innovative system allows consumers to sell surplus electricity

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) has given 16 net-metering connections to the consumers of twin cities - Rawalpindi and Islamabad - so far, which are contributing 1.66 megawatts of electricity.

“All these connections have been granted this year,” a spokesman for the power utility said on Tuesday. “Dozens of other applications for net-metering connections are under process.”

Giving details of the connections provided so far, he said these included 1,000 kilowatt for the Parliament House, 178KW each for the Pakistan Engineering Council and Planning Commission, 5KW for the residence of National Assembly speaker, 90KW for Amir Hussain (Tesla Industries), 3KW each for Rasheed Ramay, Iesco headquarters and Muhammad Hussain, 17KW for Nabila Qureshi, 10KW for Rear Admiral (R) Mujtaba, 7KW for Farhatullah Babar, 12.2KW for Samina Tariq and 4KW for Naseer Ahmed.

Iesco Chief Executive Officer Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar commented that net-metering was an innovative and immediate solution to the current power shortages.



He said the system offered opportunities to commercial and domestic consumers to generate electricity through solar panels and sell the surplus to Iesco. Both the domestic and commercial consumers could generate 1KW to 1 megawatt through the net-metering system.

Jabbar said adopting the net-metering technology would not only help improve efficiency of the company but would also help meet the energy requirement.

The company has got an encouraging response from the consumers and 14 connections of net-metering have been energised in a short span of time.

“Iesco is purchasing electricity from the consumers at Rs9.25 per unit,” he said, adding they had purchased electricity worth Rs2.5 million so far. The CEO said Iesco was the first power distribution company which introduced the net-metering system in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2016.

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