KE reduced Transmission and Distribution losses but failed to improve power generation: Chairman NEPRA - Press Release issued by Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Karachi -- January 09, 2023 (PPI-OT)

Following is the text of press release issued by Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI)

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Chairman National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Touseef Hassan Farooqi, while expressing sheer disappointment over the performance of DISCOs across Pakistan including K- Electric, stated that KE, being a private entity was better as compared to other DISCOs as KE has drastically brought down Transmission and Distribution (T and D) losses from more than 40 percent to 15.5 percent but the biggest dilemma was that they have failed to improve the power generation.

"Technology and competition were the only way forward. Technology is already there but the competition is missing. As KE's exclusivity would come to end by July 2023 and the CTBCM would allow Karachi's businessmen to make their own choice for fulfilling their electricity needs either by setting up their own power plants or by acquiring from any other power producer", he added while exchanging views at a meeting during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI).

Chairman Businessmen Group Zubair Motiwala, Vice Chairman BMG Jawed Bilwani, President KCCI Mohammed Tariq Yousuf, Senior Vice President Touseef Ahmed, Vice President Mohammad Haris Agar, Former President Muhammad Idrees and KCCI Managing Committee Members attended the meeting. Chairman NEPRA informed that Competitive Trading Bilateral Contract Market (CTBCM) provides a roadmap for opening the Wholesale Electricity Market of Pakistan, aiming to provide choice to the bulk power consumers to purchase electric power from the DISCOs or a competitive supplier of their choice.

He said that during the last three years and five months, it has been one of his top most priority to ensure that no imported fuel-based project or no take-or-pay based project was given go ahead, hence, neither any new license nor tariffs were issued for imported fuel-based project. "It is my utmost effort to bring in green revolution in Pakistan which was very important for our country as the entire world nowadays seriously looks at how green you are", he added.

He noted that the industrial support package yielded positive results wherein 25 percent discount was offered to Large Scale Manufacturing and 50 percent discount was given to Small and Medium Enterprises compared to their previous consumption which led to accelerating industrial activities and helped in achieving an impressive...