PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) general managers on Thursday opposed the idea of the electricity utility’s bifurcation, which the prime minister had ordered a couple of days ago.

On Oct 13, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had ordered the power division to take up the bifurcation of Pesco and creation of Hazara Electric Supply Company at the earliest.

The utility provides electricity to over 2.6 million consumers in all districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The premier’s letter addressed to the power secretary stated that with a massive increase in generation and consequential allocation of the power to the distribution companies, it would be important to fast track the administrative reforms of the distribution companies in a holistic manner.

It added that the process could start with distribution of companies having unmanageably larger area or number of customers like Lesco, Gepco, Pesco and Qesco.

Insist Hazara power company unfeasible both economically, technically

“The prime minister feels that the bifurcation of the Pesco is of particular importance in view of its unique nature in terms of operational efficiency in different regions under its control,” the letter noted, adding that therefore the premier has desired that the power division shall take up the company’s bifurcation and creation of Hesco at an early date.

It said that similar exercise shall be fast tracked in other distribution companies also with completely independent administrative structure in newly created unit.

However, officials in Peshawar seemed sceptical of the plan saying it has to be seen whether it was politically or economically motivated.

A senior KP government official requesting anonymity said such decisions should have to be made on technical grounds rather than political.

The official said a north-south bifurcation would have been better option compared to the ‘Hazara versus rest of the province divide’. “Such decisions are like to increase the prevalent polarisation in the province,” the official added.

Chairman of the Pesco board of directors Nawabzada Arsallah Khan Hoti told Dawn that the company’s general managers in one of their scheduled meeting on Thursday also discussed the plan and insisted that craving out of Hazara-only company would not be economically and technically feasible.

He said it had to be seen from the technical point of view that how many girds are there and how many consumers.

Mr Hoti said their old plan was to bifurcate Hazara along with Swabi, Swat, Swabi, Dir and Chitral axis, which would have been technically as well as economically viable company.

He said if the federal government separated Hazara alone from Pesco areas, then it would not be feasible.

“Bifurcation should be on technical, viability and sustainability grounds and not on regional, linguistic and ethnic basis,” he said.

Mr Hoti said the company’s board would sit down next week and they would also present their own proposal.

“An order issued from Wapda House, Lahore. would not be acceptable to us,” he added.

Awami National Party central general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain told Dawn that Wapda was the property of KP but its offices were shifted to Lahore when the One Unit was formed.

He said the centre should give the control of Wapda to the province.

“Whatever decision Wapda has taken has increased problems instead of resolving them,” he said, adding that the Wapda’s control should be given to KP, which generates most of electricity.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2017