ISLAMABAD: The National Transmission and Distribution Company (NTDC) admitted before the Supreme Court on Friday that it had no system in place to timely monitor equitable distribution of electricity to the end-users through distribution companies (Discos) or determine the quantum of loadshedding in any area.

“There is no visibility at the centre to monitor distribution of electricity except their (Discos) own words,” NTDC managing director Zargham Ishaq Khan said, but hastened to add that by the end of June about 8,000 smart meters would be installed at outgoing electricity feeders in all grid stations across the country after which a monitoring system would be in place.

The new metering system would be inaugurated on June 30, but the current system of monitoring distribution lagged behind 30 days, he informed a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Ijaz Ahmed Chaudhry and Justice Gulzar Ahmed.

The bench had taken notice of lack of implementation of the court’s May 21 order asking for improving electricity generation and its distribution in an equitable manner to both domestic and industrial consumers. “Why there is a hue and cry all over the country and why people are out on roads protesting against loadshedding,” the chief justice asked Zargham Khan, who is also managing director of the Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco).

Everybody is equal before the law under Article 25 of the constitution whether it is the president, the prime minister or the chief justice, the CJ observed. “Go home if you are not capable,” he said, adding that loadshedding was artificial.

“It is the question of security of life and property of people under Article 9 of the constitution,” the bench said, adding: “We have already offered to start loadshedding from the Supreme Court.”

Justice Gulzar Ahmed regretted that loadshedding had been accepted by the people as a phenomenon and there was no effort by generation companies to get rid of it. “The Supreme Court wants on ground results. The present hearing is not an exercise to note down your (NTDC chief) difficulties. Difficulties may be there, but you as an expert and a technical person have to overcome them,” he said.

In its order the court noted that because of lack of communication between the NTDC and Discos, Mr Zargham Khan was facing problems. The court ordered him to convene a video conference on June 1. And after [holding] the meeting with stakeholders – managing directors of Discos, Indus River System Authority chairman Asjid Imtiaz and Water and Power Secretary Anwar Ahmed Khan – a joint statement be prepared, ensuring implementation of the May 21 order in letter and spirit, the court said.

The joint statement is required to be submitted to the SC registrar on Saturday.

The court reminded the managing directors of Discos that they were bound to implement its May 21 order without any excuse.

Mr Zargham Khan informed the court that on May 21 about 10,530MW had been produced and the shortfall was 3,800MW. Though the name plate generation capacity, which meant according to the specification of new equipment, was 20,000MW, the current dependable electricity generation was 16,000 to 18,000MW, he said. This includes 4,600MW generation through the hydel system.

Mr Raziuddin, an energy expert, informed the court that Discos were not cooperating with Mr Zargham Khan because the latter was on a deputation from Nespak and heading the NTDC and Pepco in conflict of interest which had caused severe resentment and low productivity in Pepco.

“This is the root cause and a question of ego,” the chief justice observed.