December 30, 2024 (MLN): Privatization of three power distribution companies (DISCOs) will be completed by the end of next year, said Minister for Power Division, Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Leghari.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at a press conference that the government is progressing towards privatization and concession models, according to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Awais said that the government has planned to introduce special tariffs for electric vehicles (EVs) under a forthcoming EV policy.

The policy would reduce dependency on imported fuels, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality, he added.

He said it would also foster economic growth through job creation in local manufacturing and the development of charging infrastructure.

“This new policy will revolutionize the transport sector of Pakistan,” he added.

He further said that, under the dynamic leadership, the last 9 months' performance of the power sector had been shared, and members of the Board of Directors (BoDs) of DISCOs had already been appointed purely on merit.

He went on to say that the government has eliminated Rs150 billion in cross-subsidies from the industrial sector, a step that has boosted industrial growth and job creation in Pakistan.

Circular debt costs were also being shifted from electricity bills to the national debt to reduce the burden on the consumers, he added.

He said the average price of electricity has decreased to Rs44.04 per unit from Rs48.70 per unit owing to the reforms initiated in the power sector by the incumbent government.

Similarly, the average power tariff for industrial consumers has also decreased to Rs47.17 per unit from Rs59.50 per unit, he added.

Both the domestic and industrial consumers have witnessed Rs4.66 per unit and Rs11.33 per unit decreases respectively in the tariff since June 2024.

The government was also diligently working on upgrading the transmission sector, including the division of the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) into three entities, he added.

He said NTDC would be divided into three entities, including the National Grid Company of Pakistan for efficient and reliable transmission, and the Energy Infrastructure Development and Management Company for project management.

The third entity would be the independent system and market operator, responsible for a competitive and transparent electricity market.

Regarding Independent Power Producers (IPPs), he said agreements with five IPPs had been terminated in the first phase which would help savings of Rs411bn.

In the second phase, agreements with eight bagasse-based IPPs have also been settled which resulted in annual savings of Rs8.826bn and overall savings of Rs238.224bn, he added.

He said talks with 16 more IPPs were going on and it would help save an additional Rs481bn to the national exchequer.

Regarding switching agricultural tube wells to solar in Balochistan, the minister said that 27,000 tube wells were being solarized.

The project would cost Rs55bn for which 70% share was being provided by the federal while the remaining 30% by the provincial government, he added.

He said this initiative would promote green energy and revolutionize the agriculture sector in Balochistan.

Sardar Awais said the incumbent government continued its people-welfare development agenda despite a continuous drive by Imran Khan-led political party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to create instability in the country.

He said that the previous government did nothing in the power sector during its around four-year rule while the government led by PML-N made remarkable achievements in just 9 months.

He said the government has also announced to setting up of an independent market operator in the power sector adding that the government would not be involved in the sale and purchase of electricity.

The companies would do sale and purchase business in the power sector, he added.

About the electricity winter package, the minister said the package introduced a special tariff of Rs26 per unit for domestic, commercial, and industrial consumers for three months.

“This initiative underscores our commitment to reducing electricity costs and supporting economic growth,” he added.

He said it was also necessary to enhance the demand for electricity consumption by lowering power tariffs. 

He said the PM has also approved the power distribution system and in the next two years Rahim Yar Khan to Matairi Transmission Line project will be completed.

He said efforts were also being made to manage the circular debt burden, with a focus on reducing consumer electricity costs.

Power Sector’s debt was being restructured with the Finance Ministry, he added.

He said that the government was committed to delivering affordable, sustainable, and reliable electricity to the people.

The reforms and achievements reflect our dedication to addressing long-standing challenges in the power sector while building a resilient and prosperous future, he added.

Replying to a question, he stressed the need to bring reforms to the power regulator.

To another query, the minister said that losses of DISCOs companies except in Sindh and Balochistan witnessed a significant decrease during the last 9 months.

To a question, he said overbilling of Rs 50bn was detected in Lahore Electric Supply Company but now no one would be allowed to carry out over-billing.

The system of complaint system in DISCOs was also being digitized.

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Posted on: 2024-12-30T15:33:33+05:00