Govt 'plans' to reassign GENCO employees to DISCOs

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to reassign 1,775 employees from non-operational power generation companies (GENCOs) to various electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) to fill vacant positions, ARY News reported citing sources.

According to sources, the Guddu and Nandipur power plants, listed for privatization, are fully non-operational, prompting the government to expedite preparations for reassigning GENCO staff. Of the total, 352 employees from GENCO-I, 486 from GENCO-II, 911 from GENCO-III, and 26 from GENCO-IV will be integrated into DISCOs.

The reassignment plan includes deploying 348 employees to the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO), 314 to the Sukkur Electric Power Company (SEPCO), 676 to the Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO), 85 to the Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO), and 185 to the Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO).

Additionally, 50 employees will be adjusted in the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO), 23 in the Khyber Electric Supply Company (KESCO), 97 in the Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), 35 in the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), and 12 in the Hazara Electric Supply Company (HAZECO), according to the proposed plan.

In February, Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari informed the National Assembly that employees of Power Generation Companies (GENCOs) will either be absorbed into distribution companies (DISCOs) or laid off with full compensation, ensuring their rights are not compromised.

Responding to a calling attention notice regarding the recent decision not to absorb GENCOs employees into DISCOs and other organizations under the Power Division, he clarified that DISCOs are currently facing a staff shortage. Therefore, instead of hiring new workers, GENCOs employees will be accommodated.

The minister revealed that details of 1,335 employees, primarily non-engineering support staff, have already been shared with various DISCOs. He assured that those retiring would receive fair compensation.

He said that  GENCOs employees, cost the government Rs. 7 billion annually in salaries, neither belong to the engineering sector nor contribute significantly to the economy.

Leghari disclosed that the Guddu and Nandipur power plants are included in the privatization list, stating that these plants are completely non-operational and incapable of generating electricity. “Employees at these closed plants are burdening power consumers with Rs. 7 billion annually,” he said, adding that some workers report for duty without any productive tasks.

The government, based on recommendations from the Ministry of Energy, has decided to either sell the non-operational plants and use the proceeds for employee pensions and benefits or merge surplus employees into DISCOs.