ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Water and Power was apprised on Thursday that National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) are carrying out investigation into alleged irregularities in recent recruitment in Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco).
The committee which met here with Muhammad Arshad Khan Leghari in chaired reviewed presentation on net metering, installation of net metering, privatization of feeders, collection of bills through private sector, establishment of a grid station in Tehsil Jund and appointment in Hyderabad Electric Supply Company etc.
Iesco Chief Executive Officer Dr Rana Abdul Jabbar informed the committee that a case into alleged irregularities in the recruitment process was also pending before the Islamabad High Court bench headed by Justice Noor-ul Haq Qureshi and Athar Minhallah. All the officials were on probation, he said and added that the court ordered for status quo.
The CEO further said that the Iesco formulated department Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for entertaining request of net metering connections for applied load/capacity from 1 KW to 1000 KW. Connection of solar for net metering with IESCO of Parliament House having capacity of 1 MW has recently been commissioned.
Dr Jabbar said that a memorandum of understanding between IESCO and Renewable and Alternative Energy Association of Pakistan (REAP) has been signed for installation of a pilot solar project at the company headquarters having capacity of 3 KW for promotion of net metering. The project would soon be inaugurated soon, he added. He said three applications of net metering connections have recently been entertained at Iesco operation circle offices.
The CEO said that there were some issues including unawareness about net metering regulations among power distribution companies (DISCO’s) officers, fear of revenue loss, interconnection studies and updating of billing software and specification for bi-directional meters.
Regarding benefit of net metering, Dr Abdul Jabbar said that it has many benefits which included energy contribution from renewable based consumers, demand side management, reduction in gap between generation and demand, reduction in consumer electricity bill, reduction in system losses, reduction in overloading, compensation in mid day peak hour and environment friendly technology.
CEO Alternate Energy Development Board Amjad Awan informed the panel that one Kilowatt (KW) would cost Rs.169,000 and information about the cost per KW has already been published in the national dailies.
He said net metering was new in Pakistan. However, net metering was a successful experimental in Australia where such meters were installed in many areas.
To a question, State Minister for Water and Power Ch Abid Sher Ali said currently the DISCOs were not being privatized. The companies’ management and their labour leaders had also assured during their meeting with the Prime Minister that they would reduce their line losses besides bringing improvement in recoveries. Abid said that six-eight hours power load-shedding would be carried out in the coming summer in urban and rural areas respectively.
He said that efforts would be made to ensure no load-shedding during Saher, Iftar and Tarveeh in maximum areas. The Minister also assured the committee for rehabilitation of 66KV grid station in Orakzai Agency which was damaged by militants in 2009.
The Tribal Electric Supply Company CEO told that the grid station rehabilitation would cost Rs 145 million. PC-1 of the project was ready and sent for planning commission, he added. Earlier, MNA DR Syed Ghazi Gulab Jamal said that the process for International Displaced Persons (IDPs) has already been started but the grid station was still not yet rehabilitated despite a lapse of so many years. He threatened to boycott the committee meeting if this important issue was not resolved.
The committee was further informed that currently no proposal underway to privatize feeders and collection of bills by the private sector.
Regarding appointment in HESCO, the NA panel was apprised that WAPDA sports board recommended names of candidates against sport quota. The CEO of every company could make recruitment of grades 1 to 5 on daily wages on need basis.
The meeting was attended by MNAs Muhammad Junaid, Malik Abrar, Sardar Mansab Ali, Rana Afzaal, Rana Muhammad Ishaq, Pir Muhammad Bodla, Syed Ghulam Mustafa, Nawab Yousaf Talpur, Junaid Akbar, Rai Hassan Nawaz, Maulana Gohar Shah, Syed Kazim Ali, Dr GG Jamal, Sahibzada Muhammad Yaqub, CEOs of DISCOs, officials of NTDC, Secretary Water and Power Muhammad Younas Daga and others senior officials.