Deliberations begin on placing Pesco under KP govt’s supervision

PESHAWAR: Following instructions from the federal government, discussions have begun regarding the proposal to place the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) under the control of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government.

The provincial government is exploring various options for managing the distribution company and addressing its administrative challenges.

A special meeting chaired by Engr Tariq Sadozai, Special Assistant to the KP Chief Minister for Energy, and Himayat Ullah Khan, Chairman of PESCO’s Board of Directors, was held to discuss the matter. The meeting was attended by KP Secretary of Energy & Power Mohammad Zubair Khan, the CEOs of Pesco and Pedo, and other senior officials.

During the meeting, several options were considered, including the

privatisation of Pesco or transferring its management to the provincial government.

It was highlighted that Pesco is currently facing an annual loss of Rs130 billion due to line losses and poor recovery rates.

Experts provided input on potential strategies for placing the company under provincial supervision. Also, discussions were held involving police and local administrations in Pesco’s recovery efforts.

A briefing was also provided on the model for selling electricity from Pedo’s 1,000 MW affordable hydropower projects to the industrial sector at reduced rates over the next two years.

The meeting concluded with a decision to form a task force to finalise recommendations on transferring Pesco’s management to the provincial government.