Ministry forms body on KE for smooth power supply
The Ministry of Energy on Monday formed a committee to look into the matters of K-Electric aimed at a one-window operation ensuring provision of unhindered supply of power to the residents of Karachi in line with the directives of the Supreme Court.
The committee, headed by Additional Secretary Power Waseem Mukhtar, would consist of Additional Secretary Petroleum Division and representatives from National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC), Karachi-Electric, Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) and Power Division, a statement said.
The decision with regard to the committee formation had been taken in a meeting chaired by Minister for Power and Petroleum Omar Ayub Khan, and attended among others by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Power Shahzad Qasim, SAPM on Petroleum Nadeem Babar, Nepra Chairman Tauseef Faruqi, Power Secretary Omer Rasul, K-Electric Board chairman and members, CPPA, NTDC and Power Division officials.
The committee would look into the matters of K-Electric and work under a mechanism of one-window operation to ensure provision of uninterrupted power supply to people of Karachi as per directives of the apex court.
The energy minister directed the K-Electric to arrange pump and other machinery for drainage of water from sub-stations of electricity in Karachi, besides preparing lists of all such stations where rain water had converged.
According to the statement, the Sui Southern Gas Company would increase gas supply to power plants operating in Korangi, which would help generate additional 100MW to 150 MW power for K-Electric.
The NTDC assured the meeting to expedite work on D-Line of Jamshoro and complete it by next year from where 400MW additional electricity would be provided to K-Electric through national grid.
The Nepra chairman briefed the meeting about public hearing held in the light of Supreme Court directives and decisions taken to redress the grievances.
The Power Division had initiated coordination with the cabinet and Ministry of Law over the appointment of members of Nepra Appellate Tribunal and chairman as per the apex court directives.
The Power Division had already written to the Cabinet Division for appointment of the Nepra Appellate Tribunal members and chairman.
The meeting directed the K-Electric to increase coordination with provincial departments.
Last week, Nepra had announced that it had “imposed a fine of Rs200 million on K-Electric for carrying-out excessive load-shedding in Karachi during the months of June and July, 2020 and violating Nepra Act, terms and conditions of its licence(s) and directions given by the authority in its multi-year tariff”.
The very next day the Supreme Court had expressed dissatisfaction over the performance of the Power Division, Nepra and the KE.
It had asked the KE to use its own resources to clear its sub-stations and other distribution network of rainwater and restore power supply.
The court had also highlighted that it did not see any impediment why Nepra was not empowered to give effect to the related law, adding the authority might proceed to implement Section 26 of the Nepra act and make its determination.
Section 26 of Nepra law empowers the regulator to change the KE’s licence and allow other players for competition.