ISLAMABAD: Minister for Power, Sardar Awais Khan Leghari in early February, removed four Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of power Distribution Companies (Discos) apparently for poor performance.
According to an official statement, the four CEOs failed to control losses and power theft in their respective jurisdictions.
The CEOs who faced the brunt of the minister are Wajid Kazmi, CEO Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco), Syed Shabir Jilani, CEO Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco), Rehmat Ullah Baloch CEO Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) and Abdul Latif Anjum CEO Sukkur Electric Supply Company (Sepco).
Meanwhile Ministry of Energy (Power Division) has appointed Mujahid Pervez Chatta new CEO Lesco, Zukallua Gundapor new Chief Pesco, Attaullah Bhutta as CEO Qesco, and Saeed Ahmad as CEO Sepco.
The receivables of power sector have surged to Rs 788.39 billion, according to official data of Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) during July-November 2017 period.
Private sector has emerged as the biggest defaulter of Pepco which owes Rs 589.01 billion, followed by AJK government with Rs 88.87 billion outstanding, four provincial governments and their attached departments with Rs 37.95 billion, K Electric Rs 64.18 billion and federal government and its attached departments Rs 8.30 billion.
Power division maintains that action was also taken against those officials of the power distribution companies where losses had increased due to power theft.
Minister for Power Division Awais Leghari said that government was working on long-term plan to utilize all resources including wind, solar, Thar coal and hydel to generate electricity.
He said that solar projects with 800MW generating capacity were operational in Sindh and in KPK near Suki Kinari, and work on 870MW power project was underway. He said that government had not only started work on 1410MW Tarbela-4 power projects in KPK but several small hydel projects in KPK were generating electricity. He said that work was underway on 4300MW Dasu hydropower project in KPK.
Leghari in a statement said that there was also requirement to install LNG based power projects in load centres of Punjab province and as soon as power projects start operation with indigenous resources, the government would give priority to produce electricity from these projects.
