Steps being taken to introduce affordable electricity rates for consumers: Umer Ayub

• Expressing satisfaction over the performance of the energy department, he said that we had recovered 112 billion rupees after controlling electricity theft in the country.
• Government had to bear extra burden of Rs.350 billion, by using imported coal for producing electricity.
• Last governments did not increase the tariff rate for about two years. It was the responsibility of the previous regimes to balance the energy rates as per the market level.

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Energy, Umer Ayub Khan on Friday said that present government was taking all possible measures to introduce affordable electricity rates for the consumers.

Installing new power plants would bring the energy rates down, he stated while talking to a private news channel programme.

The last governments had made costly agreements with power generating companies, due to which, the people had to face trouble, he stated.

Expressing satisfaction over the performance of the energy department, he said that we had recovered 112 billion rupees after controlling electricity theft in the country.

In reply to a question, the minister said the government had to bear extra burden of Rs.350 billion, by using imported coal for producing electricity.

He said that renewal energy projects would be launched to bring affordable rates in the power sector.

To another question, Umer Ayub said that last governments did not increase the tariff rate for about two years. It was the responsibility of the previous regimes to balance the energy rates as per the market level, he added.

A new energy policy would be formulated to balance the system in the electricity sector, he revealed.