KARACHI: People in Karachi are faced with a fresh dent as the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has allowed KESC to swell the security deposit for installation of new connections by five times the previous amount.
The previous charge was a meager one thousand rupees, however, the revised charges mean that a five kilowatt power connection would cost six thousand rupees, sources said.
NEPRA has accommodated majority of the KESC demands and has allowed recovery of enhanced SDs from new connections, reconnections, change of name and change of tariff category to KESC.
NEPRA has come up with a new slogan of creating uniformity for all categories of consumers throughout the country and has hence further burdened the masses of Karachi, sources added.
Though interveners of the petition filed by the company have opposed the KESC’s demand for a rise in deposit, saying it was a serious concern for around two million consumers of KESC. Under the fresh move, the SDs for a residential consumer/applicant of new connection, reconnection etc. would be Rs 1220 per kW.
The same category of rural areas would be charged with Rs 610 per kW by KESC after the decision by NEPRA. The commercial consumer of KESC would pay Rs 1810 per kW, while the SDs for various categories of industrial sector would range from Rs 1580 to Rs 4030 per kW.
Sources stated that the SDs rates for DISCOs (excluding KESC) were revised in September 2008, whereas KESC rates were revised for the second time in 2010.
KESC does not keep up its promise and commitments. Earlier the MD said in a Press Conference 2 years back that some Free Units will be given to STAR consumers but they did not take any action on this. Now they have come up with the innovative idea to raise reserves in the kitty without providing any facilities to the consumers. Its the weakness of the Regulatory authority NEPRA as it fails in delivering what is expected from them in the better interest of the public.
KESC is compelling us to do unfair things, so far i i have been strongly condemning power stealing but action like this is changing our mind.
KESC is charging security deposit without any new connection or re connection just on the basis of section load , this is unfair move from them…
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