IPPs paid Rs 450 billion in first three months of year: Gohar Ejaz

ISLAMABAD: The independent power producers (IPPs) have been made heavy payments of Rs 450 billion in first three months of the current year.

Former caretaker commerce minister Gohar Ejaz has shared the data of the capacity payments to IPPs. “Various IPPs were paid monthly 150 billion rupees from January to March,” Gohar Ejaz has said.

He said that among the independent power producers’ 50 percent operating with below 10% of their generation capacity. “Four power plants getting 10 billion rupees monthly without generating electricity,” former minister said.

“Our hard-earned money being paid to 40 families in capacity payments,” he said. “These power plants should be made payments when they generate electricity,” he said.

Gohar Ejaz also demanded representation to all stakeholders in the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).

“The government should not run its business with the public money and avoid excesses with power consumers,” he added.

Gohar Ejaz had earlier demanded record of the payments made to the independent power producers.

He demanded that the nation should be informed about how much electricity generated being generated by each power plant according to their capacity.

He had also demanded the record of capacity payments made to the IPPs should be made public and the data of their generation costs should also be disclosed.

He also demanded that the agreements with the IPPs should be converted into “take and pay” mode.