Power theft causes financial loss of more than Rs45 bln: NEPRA report

ISLAMABAD: The national exchequer has borne a huge financial loss of more than Rs45 billion due to electricity theft and other damages during the fiscal year of 2017-18, National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) said on Saturday in a report.

The report released by the power regulatory authority regarding details of electricity supply companies of the country estimated the financial loss to the sector up to Rs45 billion.

It stated that the electricity supply companies were failed to retrieve its due of Rs78 billion. The authority admitted in its report that unannounced load-shedding is being continued by different supply companies and the higher authorities are being provided with wrong statistics regarding the issue.

“152 dangerous accidents were reported during repair and maintenance works, whereas, Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), Sukkur Electric Supply Company (SEPCO), Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) and Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESCO) failed to make any progress in their performance during the last year,” the report said.

According to NEPRA authorities, the performance of PESCO, LESCO, FESCO, KESCO and K-Electric termed better in term of providing new connections to the consumers.

The statistics indicated the rate of financial loss under power distribution and supplies to its lowest up to 20.4 per cent. It was also stated that the fault rate of PESCO, KESCO and K-Electric was better as compared to other suppliers besides significant reduction in the duration of power shedding in Karachi.