Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Water and Power and NEPRA have locked horns over the issue of additional billing of Rs 62 billion made by K-Electric to consumers.

According to NEPRA sources, the Ministry of Water and Power is leveling baseless allegations against NEPRA to cover up its failure and negligence. The recently published NEPRA report can be cited as the best example in this regard whereby the claims by the Ministry of Water and Power for putting an end to load shedding have been exposed.

Sources said the Ministry has no knowledge about K-Electric tariff; either about how many additional recoveries have been made from consumers or how many recoveries have been adjusted.

Sources also said that the profit of Rs 12 billion earned during 2012 and 2013-14 has been adjusted under a mechanism. The profit obtained during 2015 and 2016 would also be adjusted in the tariff.

Sources said that the Ministry is not ending load shedding since prolonged, unannounced load shedding is still continuing and further it is using particular tactics to prevent the publication of such news in newspapers.

The Ministry authorities said the use of unprofessional language in the NEPRA letter is regrettable. Exploiting the name of national interest by NEPRA is not correct and the national interest lies in curbing profiteering.

The Ministry has taken the plea that it had pointed out money minting by K-Electric through overbilling during 2014-15 while NEPRA had not held K-Electric accountable on the latter’s disastrous performance during 2015 and 2016. Pointing out lapses is not a conspiracy as it does not undermine the reputation of NEPRA.

The Ministry shared that 90 percent of 18000 complaints filed by citizens with Wafaqi Ombudsman were relevant to the electricity department. In 2008 the K-Electric tariff was announced at Rs7.14 per unit which then increased twofold during 2015 and 2016 despite the fall in prices of petroleum products.

NEPRA and the Ministry of Water and Power should ensure the protection of interests of the consumers in the new multi-year tariff.

It may be mentioned that the matter was also raised in the standing committee meeting the Ministry held a day before. The members of committee had expressed their displeasure over the performance of the Ministry with regards the charging of an additional Rs 62 to consumers through billing by K-Electric. Additional secretary Akhtar Rasool provided assurances that the issue would be addressed soon.