Well-off people involved in power theft: KESC

[Naveed Yaseen]

KARACHI: Naveed Ismail, Chief Executive Officer, Karachi Electric Supply Company has said that beside small consumer local and multinational companies, well to do peoples are found involved in power theft.

While speaking at a meeting of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), he said that names of some of the people found involved in power theft can not be disclosed.

He said that KESC is removing almost 55,000 to 60,000 Kundas every month. The government imposed ban on company to established power generation units and allowed to meet power requirement from WAPDA and IPPS, however IPPs producing power from oil which is most costly source of producing power, he added.

He said that KESC is giving top priority to meet the power requirement of industrial areas to keep industrial units operating. “After getting full control of KESC in May 2009 we have made a plan to invest and improve power generating and overcomes line losses”, he informed.

He said that the present management has took over KESC in December 2008 however officially we got full control of the company after an agreement with the government in May 2009.

He said that KESC has 20 power generating units out of them 13 have completed their designed age. He stated that KESC will investment $361 million to improve its services. The generators would be overhauled in a stage vise programmed. Likewise callers are 20 years old that they would be replaced gradually.

Naveed Ismail further said that by October 2009 the company will start producing 450 MW power more power generating and in next 3 to 4 years KESC will get 1500MW additional power.

KESC establishing one coal power plan and working to have three more coal power plants in future. KESC will have four more grid stations in next six months.

The CEO said that in last ten months KESC has installed 10 percent new feeders and inaugurated four new grid stations He said around 90 percent of KESC consumers are using power without getting approval of increased load which resulting in fluctuation of power.

Referring to complains of higher bills, the CEO explained at in KESC bill it was collecting sales tax, TV license fee and other government taxes witch increase total bill by 22 to 25 percent. Collecting government laves should not be a responsibility of the utility, he pleaded.

Chairman, KATI, Mian Zaqhid Hussain said that due to high cost of doing business and frequent power outrage more than 300 textile units have gone out of production and more them 10 thousand laborer have lost their jobs in the country.

He appreciated KESC policy not to carry out load shedding in industrial areas of the city to keep industrial units operating.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...2009_pg5_9