No capacity payment made to KEPCO after expiry of contract: Senate body told

ISLAMABAD (APP): The Senate’s Standing Committee on Power was informed on Friday that a sum of Rs 57 billion had been paid to KEPCO at the rate of Rs 19.5 per unit but no capacity payment was made after the expiry of contract. The committee, which met with Saifullah Abro in the chair, inquired about the contract extension permission given to KEPCO up to October, 2022.
Senator Abro observed that in what capacity the extension to KEPCO was granted and why the transactions had not been blocked on the expiry of its time period. The Vice Chairman of National Electric Power Regulatory (NEPRA) told the committee that regular correspondences had been made with the company from July 2021 till January 2022 on the issue.
The committee chairman inquired that as to why NEPRA was not taking any action against the illegitimate extension of KEPCO and why a petition had not been filed. The NEPRA vice chairman said KEPCO had made minimal payments with strict tariff rules on take-on-pay method, while no amount was paid under the capacity payment head.
The committee observed that the electricity problems in the country could not be resolved if the Power Division would continue to work in a non-serious manner.
The committee also intended to take a briefing by the Secretary Power and all concerned on the implementation status of its pending recommendations made in the meetings during June 24 2021 till February 14 this year, along with issues regarding rehabilitation plan of de-licensed public sector power generation plants of GENCO-I and the petition pending on the revision of tariff of GENCO-1.
The committee regretted the absence of the Secretary Power.
The meeting was attended by senators Fida Muhammad, Saifullah Khan Nyazee, Sana Jamali and Bahramand Khan Tangi, and other senior officials.