Capacity charges: 33 IPPs were paid Rs979.3bn in FY24

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Energy (Power Division) Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari Thursday said the federal government has paid Rs979.3 billion capacity payment charges to 33 Independent Power Producers (IPPs) during last financial year 2023-24.

In a written reply to a question in the National Assembly, the minister said that Rs137.02 billion has been paid to China Power Hub Generation Company (CPHGC), Rs113.71 billion to Huaneng Shandong Ruyi Energy (Pvt) Ltd, Rs120.37 billion to Port Qasim Electric Power Company (PQEPC), Rs57.32 billion to Lucky Electric Power Company Limited(LEPCL), Rs33.096 billion to ThalNova Power Thar (Pvt) Limited, Rs33.175 billion to Thar Energy Limited, Rs159.9 billion to Thar Coal Block-1 Power Generation Company (Pvt) Limited, and Rs63.423 billion to Engro Powergen Thar (Pvt) Limited.

He said the government also paid Rs23.765 billion to Uch-II Power (Pvt) Limited, Rs7.63 billion to Uch Power Ltd, Rs8.213 billion to Rousch Pak Power Ltd, Rs5.37 billion Halmore Power Generation Company Limited, Rs4.78 billion to Liberty Daharki Power Limited and Rs3.923 billion to Foundation Power Company Daharki Ltd etc.

Probe against IPPs expanded after resistance by some

The minister said Rs106.99 billion has been paid to the power companies; Karot Power Company (Pvt) Limited (Rs75.788 billion), Mira Power Limited (Rs16.005 billion) and Star Hydro Power Limited (Rs15.199). He said that a total of Rs81.6 billion has been paid to other 11 power producer companies.

The minister said the existing Power Purchase Agreements allow the IPPs to recover its fixed costs including the debt servicing through Capacity Purchase Price which is absolutely on the basis of availability of plant for generation. He said the prime minister has constituted a task force to identify and oversee implementation of structural reforms in the power sector of Pakistan, with a view to reduce electricity tariff for the consumers as well the financial burden of the sector borne by the federal government.

Minister for Energy (Petroleum Division) Musadik Masood Malik also told the National Assembly that Pakistan State Oil Company Limited (PSOCL)’s outstanding amount from the Pakistan International Airline (PIA) against jet fuel supplies as of 30th September 2024 has accumulated to Rs29.4 billion (Rs15.64 billion principal and Rs13.4 billion late payment surcharge (LPS)).

In a written reply to a question, the minister said that the PIA is failing to honour payment obligations due to its weak financial and liquidity position. He said that the privatisation of the PIA is in process and the mechanism for clearance of PSO’s outstanding will be decided after it. In another written reply, the Minister for Energy (Petroleum Division) told the house that the total payable of SSGCL stands at Rs1.05 trillion. He said that the OGDCL payable is Rs248 billion; PPL, Rs284 billion; GHPL, Rs150 billion, and Rs176 billion others.

He said the SSGCL’s receivable stands at Rs588 billion including power receivable Rs38 billion; industry, Rs68 billion; domestic, Rs38 billion, and Rs5 billion others, while tariff differential is Rs439 billion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024