May 06, 2008	Tuesday	Rabi-us-Sani 29, 1429

KARACHI, May 5: Amid deteriorating power generation and distribution systems of the Karachi Electric Supply Company, a major trade union of the utility has urged the government to take over the company and post an administrator to run its affairs.

The government has also been requested to set up a commission to probe into the utility’s privatisation and restore the company with the same management structure to its November 29, 2005 status when it had not been privatised.

The demands have been made by the People’s Workers Union of the KESC in a letter sent to the Pakistan People’s Party co-chairman, Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Federal Minister for Water and Power Raja Pervez Ashraf.

The union has said that the government privatised the KESC in a dubious manner while ignoring all the protests by political parties, union activists and consumers. The government had claimed that the utility was being privatised as a large-scale investment was needed for the expansion, augmentation and improvement of its generation, transmission and distribution network. Despite a passage of more than two years since its privatisation, the privatised management has failed to improve its transmission and distribution systems. It was amazing that the agreements between the Government of Pakistan, the Privatisation Commission and the purchaser i.e. M/s Aljomaih does not carry any clause or condition binding the purchaser for investment in the company.

The union has proposed that a committee of the elected representatives from Karachi be formed to tackle any law and order situation being anticipated due to power crisis.

Contingency plan

To meet the daily shortfall of between 500 megawatts and 600 megawatts at present, PWU Secretary General Latif Mughal suggested that portable power generating sets be arranged on a war-footing. Besides, he proposed that barge-mounted power generating units be procured from any country to sell power to the KESC for meeting its summer requirements of 2,600MW when the available power generation would be 2,000MW at the maximum.

The union representative underlined the need for drawing up a contingency plan in consultation with senior KESC officers and representatives of the officers association, KESC trade unions and other stake-holders to get their input for conservation of energy and cooperation during power shortage.

He suggested that a long-term plan be chalked out to explore alternative energy resources keeping in view the power demand until 2025. The government may facilitate the process by abolishing the duty on the procurement of equipment to be used for power generation through wind or solar energy, he added.

In the letter, emphasis has been laid on making substantial and speedy investment for expansion and improvement of its generation, transmission and distribution network.

At present, the KESC’s own generation stands at 1,100MW, the import from independent power producers is 415MW and the shortfall of 700MW is met through the supply from Wapda. In case of any shortage, it is managed through load-shedding. The situation indicates need for supply of 300MW more.

Warning the government of the looming power crisis that may spark riots in the city this summer, the workers’ union has urged the government to take bold and corrective measures at the earliest.