Power companies to ensure 100pct recovery of current electricity billing: minister

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power Division Omer Ayub Khan has directed the six power distribution companies to ensure 100 percent recovery of current electricity billing amounting to over 83 billion rupees for betterment of liquidity of power sector.

He issued the directive at a meeting of the Power Division in Islamabad on Friday.

Federal Secretary Power Division Irfan Ali, officials of the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO), chief executive officers of distribution companies (DISCOs) concerned and other officials of the Power Division attended the meeting.

The minister also directed the CEOs to eliminate theft and illegal hooking of electricity and take strict action against those involved in it with the help of Provincial Task Force established in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Read More: NEPRA decides Rs. 0.41 per unit hike in electricity tariff

The meeting decided to freeze the figures of old receivables as on 31.10.2018 with targets to achieve 100 percent recovery of current billings besides reducing the line losses as per the goals set by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority.

In a statement last month, Federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry said the decision to raise electricity price was delayed till a report from the auditor general was received.

“After the report by auditor general it would be decided what to do with the electricity prices”, he said.

Chaudhry said the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) had kept the present price of electricity and postponed the decision to raise it, while allowing export of surplus sugar.