KESC warns KWSB of power cut for non-payment of Rs.15.3bn in arrears

KARACHI: The Karachi Electricity Supply Company (KESC) has warned that it will cut power supply to pumping stations of Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB) due to non-payment of Rs.15.3 billion of its arrears, The utility warned in a letter to the Managing Director of KSWB.

“You would appreciate the fact that KESC is facing extreme difficulties in provision of electricity supply owing to severe gas shortage, which is at present 115 MMCFD against our allocated quota of 276 MMCFD. The situation has forced us to enhance power outages across the city, including industries (which were previously exempted from outages) to the tune of 12 hours per day, a situation which we were unable to avoid, despite our best efforts,” Imran Aslam, Director, Distribution Strategy & Public Sector Consumer, KESC stated in a letter dated November 22, 2011.

“KWSB, despite significant outstanding of Rs.15.3 billion enjoys uninterrupted supply of electricity for all of its facilities. This is solely due to the fact that KESC realizes the important part KWSB plays in providing an essential service to the residents of Karachi. Unfortunately, it appears that other state owned entities do not appreciate the importance of KESC's essential service role, hence, it has now become impossible for us to supply uninterrupted power to KWSB at the prevailing gas levels,” letter says.

“We therefore request you to kindly reduce your electricity consumption to 50 per cent voluntarily, failing which we would be forced to load shed KWSB facilities up to 12 hours on a daily basis,” KESC official warned adding “We hope that you would understand the gravity of the situation and would honour our request and avoid abrupt disruption to your operations.”

It may be mentioned that in continuation of KESC's crackdown on public and private sector defaulters, on the evening of November 21, KESC disconnected power supply to Pakistan Steel Mills due to the outstanding bill payment of Rs.52 million pertaining to the power bill for the month of September.

Despite multiple payment commitments from Pakistan Steel Mills, the payment of Rs.52 million was not made, which led to the disconnection of power supply by KESC.

Copyright PPI (Pakistan Press International), 2011