Pesco faced massive power theft in last three years, NA told

ISLAMABAD: The Power Division of Ministry of Energy told the National Assembly in a written report that the Peshawar Electricity Supply Corporation (Pesco) suffered huge line losses and electricity theft in last three years.

According to the report presented by Minister of Power Sardar Owais Legahri in the National Assembly in a written reply of question raised by Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah, in 2021-22, Pesco suffered 35.99 percent line losses, in 2022-23, it had 36.46 percent line losses and in 2023-24, the corporation suffered 34.80 percent line losses till April 2024.

The federal minister said that 455,901 cases of theft were registered in the Pesco between July 2021 and June 2022 and those involved in power theft stole 336,434,000 units of electricity between July 2021 and June 2022.

The National Assembly was told that the accused stole 31,220,2000 units of electricity between July 2022 and April 2023 and 289,427 cases of theft were registered in Pesco.

Between July 2023 and April 2024, over 289,000 cases of theft were registered in Pesco and these accused stole 146,912,000 units of electricity. In the report, the Minister for Power Division Owais Leghari said that a campaign is going on in all distribution companies (Discos) to prevent electricity theft, patrolling teams have been formed in Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) to prevent electricity theft, old and faulty meters are being replaced, automated meter reading and advanced metering infrastructure is being installed for commercial, industrial areas and tube wells connections are being installed. The report stated that power connections of electricity thieves are being cut, meters are being removed and detected bills are being sent to them.