ISLAMABAD: The Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) on Thursday sought an increase of 44 percent to Rs 39.23 per unit for 2023-24 from existing tariff of Rs 27.33 per unit to raise additional revenue of Rs 205 billion during the fiscal year.

During a public hearing on Qesco’s annual tariff petition for the year 2023-24, the company’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Abdul Karim Jamali also admitted that political influence and mafia which also includes its own employees from top to bottom are responsible for company’s losses. The consumers of agri tube wells are not paying their bills as their recovery is just 14.92 percent.

Chairman Nepra, Tauseef H Farooqi, Member (Finance), Mathar Niaz Rana, Member KPK, Maqsood Anwar Khan and Member (Legal) Amina Ahmed officiated the hearing.

The chairman Nepra inquired why people of Balochistan are not ready to pay their electricity bills. CEO Qesco replied that it is an issue of a mind set.

“Traditionally, the people of Balochistan believe that since electricity is government’s product, it is free for them. Theft of water, electricity and gas is a routine issue in Balochistan,” CEO said adding that no political support is extended to the company against theft.

He contended that if the issue of agri tube wells is resolved, the power company’s main issue of recovery will be sorted out. He said, industry is also involved in theft of electricity.

Mathar Niaz Rana, Member (Finance) and Director General (Tariff) Sajid Akram proposed that a novel plan be formulated to sort out issue of Qesco. Proposal of solarisation of agri tube wells sans electricity meters also came under discussion, however, CEO Qesco noted that agri tube wells owners are not ready to accept off-grid mechanism.

Member (Finance) will visit Quetta for meetings with the concerned officials to devise some novel plan for Balochistan’s electricity issues and discourage theft and improve recovery.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023