Non compliance of directions: Govt issues final warning to Pesco CEO

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Water and Power Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Laghari has directed the authorities concerned to issue final warning and show cause to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) Shabbir Ahmed for non-compliance of directions regarding accurate meter reading and consumer billing.
The minister directed the authorities concerned to issue show cause notices to CEOs of Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco), Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) and Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) for poor performance regarding accurate mobile meter reading and directed them to fix responsibilities on the poorest five performing sub divisional officers under the existing rules.
The minister issued the directions in a review meeting attended by the officials of the Power Division, Pepco, PITC, AEDB and other organisations concerned here on Thursday. The federal minister appreciated CEOs of Fesco and Mepco for achieving 99pc accuracy in mobile meter reading.
He also directed the authorities concerned to issue displeasure to CEOs of Qesco and Sepco for not displaying load and other related information for facilitation of Net Metering on their websites.
Laghari directed that 100pc meter reading for aAgriculture tube wells in Mepco region from November 2017 shall be through Automated Meter Information to ensure 100pc accuracy. There are 43,000 Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meters already installed in Mepco region for agricultural tube wells.
It was further directed that SMS must be sent to the agricultural consumers regarding the meter reading in time so that they should have complete record of their energy consumption. The federal minister directed the authorities concerned that SMS service for consumers for dissemination of information regarding meter reading, bill and electricity related matters be initiated in all Discos on the pattern of Iesco’s Roshni services.
Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Laghari directed authorities concerned to develop a smart phone application for consumers which could help them get information regarding load management, shut down etc of their respective feeders besides their own electricity bills.
The federal minister was informed that the AEDB and the Pepco were working closely for promotion of net metering in the country. It was informed that distribution companies had uploaded necessary information regarding feeder load etc necessary for installation of net metering. The AEDB has already issued advertisement for short listing of vendors for provision of services regarding installation of net meters. The Discos have also notified designated officers for facilitation of net metering up to 250KV and Nepra has also sought proposal/comments on new regulations proposed by the Power Division.
The minister was informed that after analysis of the first batch of the distribution companies for meter reading the Fesco, Mepco and Lesco had been able to produce 99pc each, while Gepco and Iesco 98pc each. Besides, Hesco stood at 78pc, Sepco 54pc, Qesco 55pc accuracy, however, Pesco failed to share its data in the stipulated time.
The minister was informed that all Discos had initiated publicity campaign to register the mobile numbers of consumers for sending SMS alerts regarding the meter reading and generation bills. He was informed that till mid of next month the process was expected to be completed.
The minister was briefed that Discos were also working to put in place transparent and consumer friendly services for provision of new electricity connections. The system will be centrally connected with IT based solutions and the consumers will be getting information via SMS regarding his application on the analogy of system developed by Nadra.
The Power Information Technology Company (PITC) informed that as per the directions of the minister, a power sector related smart phone application would be finalised by early next month.