NA Body Recommends Enhancement Of NEPRA's For Effective Regulation Of Power Sector

The National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Wednesday discussed issues related to the performance and regulatory functions of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and also recommended for enhancing power of the Authority in order to more effectively regulate the electric power sector

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th Jun, 2023 ) :The National Assembly Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat on Wednesday discussed issues related to the performance and regulatory functions of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) and also recommended for enhancing power of the Authority in order to more effectively regulate the electric power sector.

The meeting was held under the chairperson ship of Member National Assembly (MNA) Kishwer Zehra. The Committee was apprised that NEPRA had no role in the appointment of management of the electric power generation and distribution entities, thus its scope was limited, said a news release.

The Chairman NEPRA said that stringent checks on power pilferage, reduction of line losses by distribution companies and was political will to resist the implementation of the rule of law was the only solution to reduce circular debt and provision of affordable electricity.

He further apprised the committee that electricity generated by Thar coal and hydroelectric power generation apart from generation through renewable energy would substantially help save foreign exchange.

The Committee also recommended that a similar tariff on three-phase meters be charged as admissible to lifeline customers who consume units within that range.

The Committee was of the view that irrespective of consumption, the tariff charged on three-phase meters was high. The Committee also asked NEPRA to take action against DISCOs for not complying with the directions and schedule of load shedding.

Meanwhile, the Committee while taking up delay in the establishment of Telecommunication Tribunals, directed the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunications to expedite the process and report back the outcome to the Committee within thirty days.

The Committee was apprised that the establishment of the said Tribunals had principally been approved by the Federal Cabinet, however, Ministry of Law advised for amendment was required in Telecommunications Re-organization Act 1996 to give effect to the decision of the Cabinet.

The Representative of IT ministry informed that the draft of the amendment bill had been prepared and would be forwarded to Law Ministry for vetting and further presented to the Federal Cabinet for final approval before sending it to Parliament for approval.

The meeting of the Committee was attended by MNAs Musarrat Rafiq Mehasar, Seema Mohiuddin Jameeli, Syed Mehmood Ahmad Shah, Mohsin Dawar, Special Secretaries of Establishment and Cabinet Divisions, Chairman NEPRA and other senior officers of the concerned departments.