Record line losses: Pesco faces highest revenue-based power load-shedding in June

****LAHORE: Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) has faced highest revenue-based load shedding due to record line losses in the month of June, said sources.****

It may be noted that the regulator has linked power supply to all the distribution companies (Discos) with the revenue collection to control line losses. The idea was adopted by K-Electric to control power theft, which has become norm of the day now and Federal Energy Minister Engr Khurram Dastgir had also taken a credit during his visit to Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) that revenue-based load management has been adopted to control line losses. The line losses in all the 10 Discos oscillate in between 8.5 percent (lower side) to 43 percent (higher end) and power supply is managed in accordance with the magnitude of line losses on various feeders operating under Discos.

According to the data tabulated by the Ministry of Power Division, a copy available with Business Recorder, Pesco was followed by Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco), Tribal Areas Electric Supply Company (Tesco), Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco) and Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco).

The data suggested that Pesco faced 380 megawatt scheduled load shedding besides another 799 megawatt load shedding due to high line losses, and thus a total of 1179 megawatt load shedding was carried out in Pesco on 13th June 2022 which was followed by Qesco with 100 megawatt scheduled load shedding besides 600 megawatt load shedding due to high line losses, Tesco faced 24 megawatt scheduled load shedding besides 578 megawatt load shedding on account of high line losses, Sepco faced 120 megawatt scheduled load shedding besides 368 megawatt load shedding due to high line losses, and Hesco faced 232 megawatt scheduled load shedding besides 219 megawatt load shedding due to high line losses during the month of June.

Interestingly, Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) and Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) attracted zero load shedding on account of line losses, as it remained near the lowest ebb of 8 to 9 percent in all the three companies.

Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) carried out 10 megawatt load shedding on some of its feeders due to high line losses, which was followed by Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco), 16 megawatt in the month of June.

However, power sector experts have termed the revenue-based load management as a discrimination against the compliant consumers because they are supposed to faced undue load shedding despite making timely payment. But still they reside on the feeders attracting high line losses, therefore, they are forced to face load shedding for hours.

It may be noted that the worst set of Discos are facing some 20 hours a day load shedding under the load management plan in the country.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022