ISLAMABAD: The federal government has announced relief in electricity bills for flood-affected people in Punjab and elsewhere.
Addressing a meeting at the LESCO headquarters in Lahore, Federal Minister for Energy Awais Leghari said that special relief will be provided to electricity consumers in flood-hit areas, including an extension in the due dates for depisiting bills.
The minister said that if the government announces further relief in electricity bills for flood victims, the distribution companies (DISCOs) will waive off charges.
He said that floodwaters have affected restoration of power but the restoration will be completed as soon as water levels recede.
Leghari noted that of 33 million electricity consumers in Pakistan, 18 million are availing a 70 per cent discount.
He said that LESCO employees have donated one day’s salary to the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund, adding that the safety of both workers and consumers will not be compromised.
The minister further said that many consumers have installed solar panels, which reduced their consumption to below 200 units, lowering their bills and bringing down costs.
“Effective government measures have led to a visible reduction in power tariffs,” he claimed, adding that those who fail to notice this “are simply blindfolded.”
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Leghari said new Independent Power Producers (IPPs) with net metering are being set up, and that net metering has imposed an additional Rs4 per unit burden on the public — something the government cannot afford not ignore.
He said that the privatisation process of WAPDA has already begun along with rightsizing in the department. The minister stressed that no allegations of political hiring have been levelled against the current government, as it has chosen to empower the companies rather than engaging in a power struggle.
Earlier, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) slashed the power tariff by Rs1.89 per unit, a move that will provide relief to consumers across Pakistan.
The price cut was made under quarterly adjustment, meaning that the households would see their monthly bills reduced for three months.