Daily Times

KARACHI: The Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) was top-ranked power distribution company (Disco) while Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) ranked in the bottom five amongst total ten Discos of country, according to National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, (Nepra)’s performance evaluation report for 2014-15.

Nepra in its latest performance evaluation report assessed performance of Pakistan’s Discos including Iesco, Pesco, Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) Faisalabad Electricity Supply Company (Fesco), Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), Multan Electricity Power Company (Mepco), Quetta Electricity Supply Company (Qesco), Sukkur Electricity Power Company (Sepco), Hyderabad Electricity Supply Company (Hesco) & K-electric based on the data as reported by them for the year 2014-15.

Due to the issue of reliability of data which was verified by Nepra’s team during monitoring of Discos, the Performance Ranking was restricted to only four parameters i.e. T&D Losses, Recovery, Time Frame for New Connections and Safety.

Considering the performance data as reported by distribution companies with respect to

Performance Standards set under Performance Standards (Distribution) Rules (PSDR) & Distribution Code, each company has been awarded marks on the basis of parameters.

Accordingly, Iesco secured first position owing to its plausible performance in losses, recovery, & time frame for new connection as reported by it in its Annual Performance Report (APR). Whereas, Sepco remained at last (10th) position due to its poor performance primarily in the segments of losses & time frame for new connections.

It is important to note that Gepco & Mepco have same marks but they are assigned second & third positions respectively keeping in view, the number of fatal accidents in these distribution companies. Further, while ranking the distribution companies, safety has been given more importance & discos having more than 2 fatal accidents, have been awarded zero marks. Lesco achieved fourth and Fesco fifth position due to high percentage of non-compliance, timewise for new connections. Similarly K-Electric, Pesco, Hesco & Qesco have acquired 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th positions respectively. Qesco has acquired 9th position primarily due to poor recovery.

Nepra said there were some discos that are not following the order of load shedding according to different clauses of consumers as provided in PSDR 2005. Under PSDR, a distribution company shall have plans and schedules available to shed up to 30% of its connected load at any time upon instructions of National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC). When instructed by NTDC, the distribution company shall shed the load in the following order:

(a) Supply to consumers in rural areas; and residential consumers in urban areas where separate feeders exist.

(b) Supply to consumers other than industrial, in urban areas.

(c) Supply to agriculture consumers where there is dedicated power supply. (d) Supply to industrial consumers. (e) Supply to schools & hospitals (f) Supply to defense and strategic installations

The data provided by Discos does not represent the factual position. During the visit of different distribution companies, Nepra professionals observed on average 8 to 10 hours load shedding in urban and 10 to 12 hours in rural areas. However, the data provided by discos indicate, for instance, 1 to 4 hours of load shedding, even though National Power Control Center (NPCC) has issued instructions for implementing 6 hours in urban and 8 hours in rural areas.

Similarly, Sepco submitted that only 1 hour load shedding was carried out in its territory during 2014-15, which is not correct. Since, the percentage losses of Sepco are also higher, therefore, only 1 hour load shedding is beyond understanding. It is also noted with serious concern that, according to the data, only 1 hour average load shedding was carried out in Karachi during 2014- 15; which is contradictory to the factual position and media reports.