Power transmission, distribution losses swell to whopping Rs520 billion in FY21-22

• PESCO purchased 16,560 units and sold 10,355 units.
• IESCO caused losses of Rs21.9 billion; purchased units stood at 13,027.
• LESCO losses stand at 11.52%, which is equivalent to Rs72.7 billion.

ISLAMABAD: Power sector’s Transmission and Distribution (T&D) losses have surged to whopping Rs520.3 billion with Peshawar Electric Power Supply Company (PESCO) registering the highest-ever deficit of Rs153.8 billion, in just one financial year, The News reported on Monday.

The cash-bleeding power sector’s accumulated losses have crossed the defence spending of the country in the last two financial years, and there seems no sigh of relief for the masses without undertaking basic and fundamental reforms.

The question arises as to why the board members of these loss-making power distribution companies (DISCOs) are not being appointed on merit. The answer is that such appointments are used as a tool for doling out benefits to politically motivated favourites instead of making decisions on merit.

According to the official data available with The News, the total purchased units were 130,158 gigawatt hours (GWh), out of which sold units stood at 107,860 units; so the lost units stood at 22,298 units of GWh in the financial year 2021-22. The target losses of T&D are envisaged at 13.41%, but actual losses went up to 17.13% in the financial year 2021-22.

PESCO purchased 16,560 units of GWh of electricity and sold 10,355 units, so the lost units stood at 6,205 of GWh. Losses of PESCO stand at 37.47% and those went up to Rs153.8 billion in money terms in the current fiscal year. The losses of Tribal Electric Power Company (TESCO) stand at 9.33% and at Rs3.7 billion in money terms. Total purchased units stood at 2,284 units and sold units 2,071, so the lost units of electricity estimated at 213 of GWh.

The losses of Islamabad Electric Power Company (IESCO) stand at 8.18%, which caused losses of Rs21.9 billion in money terms. The total purchased units stood at 13,027 and sold units were 11,961, so the lost units of electricity were estimated at 1,066 units of GWh.

The Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GEPCO) losses stand at 9.07% to the tune of Rs24.7 billion.

The Lahore Electric Power Supply Company (LESCO) losses stand at 11.52%, which is equivalent to Rs72.7 billion. The lost units in case of LESCO are estimated at 3,264 units of GWh in the fiscal year 2021-22.

The losses of Faisalabad Electric Power Company (LESCO) stand at Rs33.4 billion, equivalent to 9.1%. The losses of Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) stood at higher side, amounting to Rs75.1 billion. The losses of MEPCO stand at 14.84%.

The losses of Hyderabad Electric Power Supply Company (HESCO) have gone down from 38.55% in 2020-21 to 32.88% in 2021-22 and in financial term stood at Rs45 billion.

The losses of Sukkur Power Supply Company (SEPCO) remained unchanged and stood at 35.27% in 2020-21 and 35.62% in 2021-22. In financial terms, the losses of SEPCO stand at Rs43.7 billion.

The losses of Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) stood at 28.07% and in financial terms escalated to Rs46.3 billion in financial year 2021-22.