‘Why raise electricity tariff every other day?’

The Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power has expressed annoyance over fluctuations in tariff rates and the hike in power tariff that had been announced earlier by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), and has recommended the authority to submit a report on all tariff changes in 2012.
The Senate Standing Committee on Water and Power met on Wednesday with Senator Zahid Khan in the chair, while Senator Gul Muhammad, Senator Nisar Muhammad, Humayun Mandokhel participated.
The committee expressed concern over the increase in electricity tariff for distribution companies and said the NEPRA was mandated to secure the interests of consumers. “It has only been increasing tariff rates and adding to the miseries of common people,” said Zahid.
The legislative body asked the NEPRA chairman to submit a complete record of tariff hikes or cuts the NEPRA had announced in the previous year,
The committee took notice of the absence of Secretary Nargis Sethi and Special Secretary Himayatullah, and said the secretary had said the period of tariff evaluation for the power project would be slashed to 45 days, but she had still not fulfilled her promise. The committee also directed MD Zuberi to submit a complete report on projects that have been under construction, and include details about when these projects had been initiated when they would be completed.
NEPRA Tariff Member Khawaja Naeem informed the committee that Chinese company 3Gorgous had been pressuring them to increase tariff rates for the Karoot Power Project, and they had demanded more tariff than had been determined by the authority.
He said their demand had exceeded legal limitations of the NEPRA, and the authority was trying to negotiate with them. If we lose this project, this would add another 15 years to its completion, and we cannot afford that, he added.
He said the Chinese government had directed 3Gorgous not to initiate projects in Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
The legislative body constituted a committee under Special Secretary Himayatullah to check the difficulties faced in the Kohistan 1160MW Power Project.
MD Arif Alauddin informed the senators that in 2013, 900MW would be added into the system and $3 billion would be invested in the wind power sector. The committee recommended expanding solar energy projects to scattered villages. WAPDA Chairman Raghib Abbas said the authority was going to install gadgets at the upper range and in mountain areas to judge the water flow. He said a study on flood control had been completed with assistance from the World Bank.