CM Murad urges NEPRA to reduce power tariff

The Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah urged the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Wednesday to reduce the power tariff, announce a comprehensive package for low-income consumers and to restrain power distribution companies (DISCOs) from disconnecting power connections of an entire area over non-payment by a few consumers.

The CM made these requests following NEPRA’s announcement to increase the power tariff by Rs1.53 per unit as fuel cost adjustment for the month of December 2020.

Shah was addressing a delegation of NEPRA, led by the power regulator’s chairperson Tauseef Hussain Farooqi.

“The power tariff is already unaffordable for poor consumers and further increase to it would not only put additional burden on consumers but force them to resort to power stealing,” said Shah. The power theft issue could be controlled by rationalising the power tariff, added Shah.

According to a statement issued by the CM’s office, the NEPRA chairperson conceded that the power tariff should be affordable and clarified that the increase of Rs1.53 per unit was only for one month.

The CM further stated that another concern is the issuance of detection bills by the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and the Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO). “We have seen people begging to pay detection bills,” said Shah, adding that this ‘injustice’ was only being done in Sindh.

The NEPRA chairperson assured Shah that he would resolve the issue and directed Sindh NEPRA member Rafique Shaikh to submit a detailed report on the issue.

Load shedding, power cuts

Referring to persistent load shedding in the province, Shah said that the problem also gives rise to a law and order situation at times. “The increasing load shedding some times causes law and order situation, therefore necessary measures must be taken to control the load shedding,” he said. Shah remarked that the summer season is around the corner and measures to control load shedding should be taken in time.

The K-Electric, HESCO, SEPCO and other DISCOs disconnect power supply in low-billing areas, said the CM. “This policy turns out to be a punishment for consumers who [do] pay their bills on time and this must be stopped.”

Farooqi assured the CM that he has already directed the DSCOs to stop the policy.

Other officials who joined the meeting as part of the delegation included NEPRA Balochistan member Rehmatullah Baloch and NEPRA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa member Bahadur Shah. The CM was accompanied by Sindh Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh and PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro.