Menace of loadshedding: K-Electric directed to resolve power-related issues in 10 days

ISLAMABAD: The sole power providing company of Karachi, K-Electric, has been directed by the federal authorities to resolve all power-related issues within 10 days, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Following the directives of Prime Minister Imran Khan, a high-level session held at the office of Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar over the issues to Karachiites regarding electricity supplies.

The session was attended by Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, Energy Minister, power secretary and finance secretary. During the meeting, they said that the federal government has resolved all issues from its end to the power supplies to Karachi.

They added that it is now K-Electric’s responsibility to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to Karachi citizens.

Read: JI announces protests over load shedding, demands end to K-Electric monopoly

Energy Minister Hammad Azhar decided to provide 400 megawatts of additional electricity to K-Electric. The K-Electric management has also been directed to resolve all power-related issues in Karachi within 10 days.

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail asked the electricity providing company to ensure continuous power supply to Karachiites. He said that a warning has been issued to K-Electric during today’s session as the centre would take stern action in case of facing more troubles from the company.

On May 31, it was learnt that the federal government is considering to un-bundle the K-Electric into separate generation, transmission and distribution companies.

The Special Assistant to PM had sent a reply to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in which he confirmed that the government considering to un-bundle the power utility instead of transferring it as an integrated single entity to a buyer.

Read: Sindh governor summons MD K-Electric, expresses outrage over loadshedding in Karachi

The development had come to the fore officially after a recent row between Karachi-based trade bodies led by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) and the power utility over reported poor power supply in Karachi.

The prime minister’s aide wrote that privatising a monopoly provider of electricity to more than 20 million people was a poor decision.

Gauhar had said the government has started to work in this direction by increasing the power supply to Karachi from the national grid from 650MW to up to 2000MW, subject to signing a Power Purchase Agreement, which is still pending.

The trade body had demanded power supply from different distribution companies to address the electricity woes of the city.