PESCO Faces Acute Shortage of Staff: Senate Body Told

ISLAMABAD, Oct 9 (APP): The Senate Standing Committee on Power was informed on Friday that there is acute shortage of staff in Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO). Out of 27,000 sanctioned staff, almost 50 per cent employees have retired.

The committee, which met with Senator Fida Muhammad in the chair, discussed implementation status of the recommendations of the committee, construction of 132 KV grid station at Dargai and disconnection of electricity meter of Maryam w/o Abdur Rauf resident of Nawabshah. The PESCO Chief informed the Committee that the whole staff was overburdened which badly affects the performance of the company. Around 1000 employees have retired during the last year, he added.

The committee was told that the site has been selected for the 132 KV grid station Dargai and it would be completed by 2022. Regarding installation of 1*31.5/40 MVA power transformer at the existing 132 KV Grid Station Dargai, the committee was informed that construction of the electrical equipment foundation had already been completed and transformer would be installed by December.

The CEO Tribal Electric Supply Company (TESCO) apprised that there was only 12 per cent losses in the company. The committee recommended that all pending works in merged tribal districts should be completed by December. The committee was apprised that 24 per cent work in Mohmand and 33 per cent in Bajaur has so far completed.

The Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) Chief told the committee that as many as 126 feeders were exempted from power load-shedding while load-management was being observed on other feeders due to losses.

The Secretary Power Division said reforms are being brought in the entire power sector. In the past, the maximum investment was made on the power generation side rather than on the transmission side, he added. He said all out efforts were being made to enhance recoveries and reduce losses.

Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi said industrial units in erstwhile FATA remained closed during 2009-2017 due to military operation against the militants but bills worth millions of rupees were sent to them despite the fact that all meters are installed inside the grid station. The committee sought a detailed report into the matter.

Regarding disconnection of the meter of Maryam, the committee was informed that six meters were installed at a 3-storey building including a 3-phase meter. There were three shops and one godown which were running through domestic tariff. The SDO had already served a notice twice to install separate transformers for her flats and shops.

The meeting was attended by Senators Nauman Wazir Khattak, Mushahid Ullah Khan, Dilwar Khan, Dr Ghous Muhammad Khan, Moula Bux Chandio, Mirza Muhammad Afridi and Molvi Faiz Muhammad and other senior officials of Power Ministry, NEPRA and DISCOs.

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