National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday organised public hearing on K-Electric's petition concerning monthly and quarterly fuel adjustment charges (FAC) at a local hotel. The power utility has requested the regulatory body to allow it to increase 6 paisa for December 2015, 51 paisa for January 2016 and Rs 1.43 for October to December, 2015, under the head of FAC.
K-Electric's director finance Amir Ghaziani gave a briefing on the issue while Nepra's Major Haroon Rasheed (Retd) and Syed Masood-ul-Hassan conducted the hearing.
Abubaker Usman of Pasban on this occasion said that the KE has presented exaggerated rates of furnace oil purchased during the months under review. Nepra should order reduction in tariff for December by Rs0.16 and for January Rs0.39, he suggested.
Accusing the KE of running its power generation plants below production capacity, he demanded of the Nepra to impose a fine on the power utility for depicting `bogus' rates of furnace oil, besides the amount of more than 12 per cent of profit should be distributed among consumers as per the rules and regulations.
Criticising the KE policy of allowing only meter at a leased plot, he requested Nepra to direct the power utility to allow more than one meter at a plot in case the tenants residing on the plot possessed NTN.
Moreover, late surcharge fee should be reduced from 10pc to 2pc while the electricity of all those consumers who have paid late fee should not be disconnected next month.
Dr Ahmad Kamal of Karachi Chambers of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) raised several questions about the performance of both KE and Nepra. "It has been established without any doubt that the KE is not doing all it can to end load-shedding and at the sometime is being compensated by Nepra on account of its claims of fuel expenses," he said.
He said Nepra must act swiftly and decisively for striking a balance between the consumers' interests and the company's interests.
He also requested Nepra to go for a detailed audit in KE with regard to its mandate.
He was of the view that the power utility's petition concerning fuel adjustment charges should be linked with its performance relating to percentage of loss reduction and efficiency improvements.
A number of consumers also lodged their written complaints with the regulatory body.
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