Senate panel seeks Nandipur project record

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel on Tuesday took notice of cost escalation case of the 425 MW Nandipiur Power project and directed the Power Division to submit its record to it to ascertain why its cost had ballooned from earlier Rs23 billion to Rs58 billion.

The Senate’s standing committee on power that met here with Senator Saifullah Abro in the chair noted that due to the non-operation of two power plants, the treasury had suffered a loss of Rs42 billion rupees. The committee lamented that Genco’s production went down from 7,000 MW to 2,100 MW.

The committee also deferred “The Pakistan Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2022” saying they would consider it only if the Federal Minister for Power Khurram Dastagir participates in the meeting. The committee noted that Khurram Dastagir had been continuously absent from the committee meetings for the last seven months. Showing resentment towards the non-participation of power minister in the committee meetings, Saifullah Abro said that they could take part in talk shows on television but unfortunately could not attend the meeting.

While showing astonishment over PML leader Amir Muqam sitting in Peshawar Electric Supply Company’s (PESCO) office, the committee chairman asked in what capacity he sits in the office. While discussing the pending payment of circular debt towards K-Electric, Senator Saifullah said that at present, the circular debt of the power sector in the country was Rs2,400 billion.

While receiving a briefing on the list of BoDs of remaining departments working under the Power Division, the chairman observed that the members of the Board of Directors of companies were appointed out of merit. “It seems like the CVs of the board of members have been drafted by one person,” stated Senator Saifullah Abro. He lamented irrelevant inductions in the Discos and GENCOs boards, saying “if such people are included, grid stations will be destroyed.”