Senate panel seeks ban on transformers’ installation before polls

ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel has recommended the caretaker government to place a ban on installation of new power transformers and pylons till the election day, as politicians had stocked them at their guest houses and were now using them to grab votes.

The Senate Standing Committee on Power that met here with Senator Fida Muhammad in the chair recommended that the government stop politicians from installing new transformers or poles in any part of the country till July 25 general elections.

The committee observed that in some constituencies politicians were roaming about with transformers in their vehicles while others had stored them at their ‘dairas’ (Guest Houses) and recommended that this trend must be stopped.

The committee warned that if these transformers were not removed then they were going to hand the case over to the FIA.

The panel recommended to the Ministry of Power to take notice of installation of new transformers or pylons in any part of the country.

The committee was told by the ministry that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had already issued directives to the ministries to stop all development work before July 25 and assured that a follow-up meeting with the CEOs of Discos will also be held in this regard.

Additional Secretary Ministry of Power informed the panel that they were only changing defective transformers and no new transformers were being installed.

The committee was also informed that they were considering the transfer and posting of SDOs and XENs so they would not influence the political process. The committee also asked the power ministry to submit a copy of agreement of supply of 650MW to K-Electric from the national grid in the next meeting.

Senator Nauman Wazir asked as to who had permitted the provision of 650MW electricity to K-Electric.

The committee sought details as to why the supply was continuing despite the expiry of contract in 2015.

The committee also expressed anger over the absence of CEO K-Electric and said the chairman Senate was also searching for the CEO but he was behaving like Pharaoh and was not ready to meet him.

The committee had asked the K-Electric officials not to come for the next meeting without their CEO.

The officials of the K-Electric informed that from 2009 to 2017 the company had invested $1.7 billion in power generation.

It was also told the number of illegal connections (Kunda) had reduced due to aerial bundle cables (ABC).

The peak demand of the company is 3,518MW while the supply is 3000MWs, the officials informed the panel. Around 63 percent of K-Electric area is loadshedding-free.

The Committee took strong notice of low maintenance and upgradation of machinery at Lakhra Power Plant that has a capacity of generating 150MW but due to low grade coal boilers and non-maturing of cases of procurement only unit out of three that was working was facing problems. The committee was briefed about Lakhra power plant and it was informed that on the merit order Lakhra coal power plant was on number 72 and it was on the take end.

The committee expressed anger over the absence of energy minister and secretary Power Division. The additional secretary informed the committee that the secretary was in the court. The committee decided to take this matter in detail in a meeting of sub-committee next Wednesday and asked the CEO to submit demands for upgradation and documents in its support. The committee also asked the Ministry of Power to sit with the Engineering Development Board under the Ministry of Industries to define continuous process of power in different areas for all Discos from K-Electric to Tesco.

The meeting was attended by Senators Nauman Wazir Khattak, Saadia Abbasi, Mian Ateeq Sheikh, Maula Bakhsh Chandio, Molvi Faiz Muhammad, Additional Secretary Power, Joint Secretary Power, and CEOs of Discos.