ISLAMABAD: The Power Division of the Ministry of Energy on Thursday decided to issue show-cause notices to chief executive officers of four distribution companies (Discos) of ex-Wapda for poor performance in terms of over/wrong billing to consumers.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting presided over by Federal Minister for Power Division Sardar Awais Ahmed Khan Laghari to review affairs of various companies working under the Power Division.

The meeting decided to issue final warning and a show-cause notice to CEO of Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) for non-compliance of the government directions regarding accurate meter reading and consumer billing.

The meeting also decided to issue notices to CEOs of Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco), Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) and Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco) for poor performance regarding mobile meter reading and directed them to fix responsibilities on the poorest five performing sub-division officers under the existing rules.

The meeting appreciated the CEOs of Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (Fesco) and Multan Electric Power Company (Mepco) for achieving 99 per cent accuracy in mobile meter reading, a statement said.The meeting was informed that after first batch of analysis of Discos for meter reading, it was noted that Fesco, Mepco and Lesco had been able to produce bills with 99pc accuracy, followed by 98pc by Gepco and Iesco. Hesco’s accuracy was noted at 78pc and that of Qesco and Sepco at 55pc and 54pc, respectively. However, Pesco failed to share its data in the stipulated time.

It said the minister directed his sub-ordinates 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.

Mr Leghari directed that 100pc meter reading for agriculture tube well in Mepco region should be ensured from this month through Automated Meter Information (AMI) system to ensure 100pc accuracy. There are 43,000 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 minister ordered SMS service for all 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.

The meeting felt the need for developing a smart phone application for consumers which can help them to get information regarding load management, shut down etc of their respective feeders besides their own electricity bills.

The meeting was informed that Alternative Energy Development Board (AEDB) and the defunct Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) were working closely for promotion of net metering. It was informed that Discos had uploaded necessary information regarding feeder load etc necessary for installation of net metering.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2017