ISLAMABAD, Nov 28 (APP): National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Tuesday conducted public hearing into K-Electric (KE’s) application for grant of distribution and supply licence for next 20 years which has already expired in July 2023.
The hearing was presided over by Chairman NEPRA Waseem Mukhtar while member Balochistan Mathar Niaz Rana, member Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Engineer Maqsood Anwar, member Punjab Ms Amina Ahmed and member Sindh Rafique Ahmad Shaikh were also present.
Briefing the authority, Chief Financial Officer of KE, Muhammad Amir said that the company’s distribution and supply licence had expired in July and they had applied for its extension. Six-month extension in licence haf been granted by the authority, he added.
He said that since privatization of KE in 2005, the company showed remarked performance in generation, distribution, reduction in transmission and distribution losses.
Some 1,957 megawatt (MW) has been added to the generation system besides reducing T &D losses from 34.2 per cent to 15.3 per cent. The KE had made investment of Rs 474 billion after privatization, he added.
Sharing the future investment plan, he said the KE would invest Rs 544 billion in generation, transmission and distribution system in future.
Giving the breakup, he said a sum of Rs 251 billion would be invested in generation, Rs 125 billion in transmission and Rs 168 billion in distribution system.
He went on to say that share of Renewable Energy in generation would also be enhanced to 30 per cent by 2030.
Over 60,000 smart meters had already been installed in various areas, he said.
Chief Distribution KE Fawad Gillani told that the company had installed state of the art GIS system for provision of best services to the consumers.
KE had planned solar, wind, local coal and hydel based power projects for providing affordable electricity to the consumers, he added.
Representative of Pakistan Steels Mills Association Abu Bakar also supported the renewal of KE distribution licence.