FESCO to provide industrial connections on priority

CEO terms electricity a prerequisite for economic activity

The Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) is spending Rs1.3 billion on the repair and maintenance of transmission and distribution lines in its region while a transformer of 40-MBA capacity will become functional in the M3 Industrial Estate next month, said Fesco CEO Shafiqul Hassan.

Speaking to the business community at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), he assured them that the company would help in disposing of all pending applications for new electricity connections.

He told businessmen that the government had offered a flat tariff rate on additional consumption of electricity in four months (November-February) of the winter season and voiced hope that the industrial sector would fully utilise the facility and play its role in enhancing exports.

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Underlining the importance of electricity, he termed it a prerequisite for generating economic activity. “It is encouraging that we have surplus electricity in the country, which must be utilised for further strengthening the national economy,” he said.

He appreciated the positive behaviour of the company’s consumers, saying that a majority of them paid bills on time. “There are only 10% consumers who delay payments,” he said, adding that out of these, some had genuine reasons for the delay and they were facilitated by fixing payment installments.

However, around 2% consumers were habitual and always made late payments and in order to bring them on the right path, the company had to remove their connections according to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (Nepra) rules, he said.

Regarding the delay in the installation of new electricity meters, he said he was trying to introduce an online system for the purpose. “Everyone will get electricity connections within 32 to 35 days,” he stressed.

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Regarding renewable energy, Hassan said its share in total production was only 4-5% and the government was working to enhance it to 15-20% by 2025. About the waste-to-energy project, he said the company could not promote the project because of increasing pollution.

He reiterated his company’s resolve to promote industrialisation, adding that new electricity connections for industrial units in the M3 Industrial Estate were being provided on a priority basis.

Speaking on the occasion, FCCI President Rana Sikandar Azam appreciated that Fesco recoveries were excellent while its line losses were minimum.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 20^th, 2019.

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