Power circular debt rose to Rs2.393tr in last fiscal

Circular debt in power sector in FY 2023-24 was Rs2,393b against Rs2,130b in 2022-23

By Asim Yasin
October 29, 2024
A representational image of a transmission tower, also known as an electricity pylon. — AFP/File
A representational image of a transmission tower, also known as an electricity pylon. — AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: The Power Division on Monday presented a report in the National Assembly on the power sector circular debt for the last four financial years — 2019-20 to 2023-24.

According to details, the circular debt in the power sector in FY 2023-24 was Rs2,393 billion against the circular debt of Rs2,130 billion in 2022-23. The Power Division informed the National Assembly that in the financial year 2021-22, the circular debt was Rs2,253 billion, while in FY 2020-21 it was Rs2,280 billion, and in 2019-20 was Rs2,150 billion.

While consumers are worried due to expensive electricity, the employees of electricity distribution companies are using free electricity facility worth billions of rupees. According to a report presented in the National Assembly, there are two categories of employees, 100 units per month for grades BPS-1 to BPS-4 in non-generation category, 150 units BPS-5 to BPS-10 , 200 units BPS-11 to BPS-15, 300 BPS-16, 450 units BPS-17, 600 units BS-18 officers, 880 units to BS-19, 1100 BS-20, and 1300 units for BS-21 and BS-22.

In generation category, 300 units for BS-1 to, BS-4 , 600 for BS-5 to BS-10, 600 on BS-11 to BS-15, 600 on BS-16, 650 to BS-17, 700 BS-18, 1,000 BS-19, and 1,100 for BS-20.

As many as 35,852 employees of Lahore Electric Supply Company gets 65,94,070 units free, Gujranwala company has 19984 employees whose monthly free units are 32,11,275, Faisalabad company has 28,506 employees whose free units are 45,22,158, the number of employees of Islamabad Electric Supply Company company is 20,371 and their monthly units are 39,58,398. The number of employees of Multan company is 26,386 while the free units are 43,18,540, the number of employees of Peshawar Electric Company is 32,788 while free units are 6,591,175, Hyderabad company has 10,340 employees while free units are 24,32,990. Sukkur company has 8,313 employees while free units are 14,91,483, Quetta company has 5,604 while the units are 10,77,775, Tesco has seven employees with 825 units. The total number of employees of all Discos is 188151 while monthly free units are 34298013.