August 22, 2007	Wednesday	Sha’aban 8, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Aug 21: The Consumer Watch Pakistan (CWP) on Tuesday expressed concern over the plight of power consumers who continue to suffer.

The CWP, in a statement, said the power consumers were suffering from high power tariff, frequent and unannounced disruptions to service, poor safety standards resulting in electrocutions, as well as poor quality of customer services.

“Such problems exist everywhere, but are manifestly more acute in rural districts. In many districts, consumers suffer from 8 to 10 hours of loadshedding each day while authorities make no effort to announce the schedule in advance.”

It said the disruptions to power supply frequently occurred due to bad weather, but the concerned authorities had paid little attention to address the problems and weaknesses in the infrastructure.

According to the consumer rights organisation, it is unfortunate that the government remains oblivious of the dire need of adequate public-sector investment in the power sector, despite the fact that it is of pivotal importance for consumer welfare as well as national economic development.

Reason for this, it said, was the government’s fixation on privatisation of the power sector.

The CWP said that investment was not only required in power generation but also in the supply and distribution system.

The existing system is weak as it suffers from many years of neglect and is not at all capable of ensuring uninterrupted power supply, it added.

Frequent disruptions to power supply are not always linked to power shortages but are often attributed to technical failures resulting from outdated infrastructure.

This infrastructure also explains the high power losses in almost all distribution companies, which reportedly range from 15 to 45 per cent.

The financial and economic cost of these losses is huge, which could have been saved by making timely and appropriate investment decisions.

The CWP said the existing power distribution system was also responsible for the loss of a large number of lives each year. Many people get electrocuted throughout the year, especially during the rainy season.

It is the responsibility of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to formulate the performance as well as safety standards, which must be diligently and strictly enforced.