QUETTA, Jan 13: Water and Power Development Authority Chairman Lt-Gen Zulfiqar Ali Khan said on Sunday that Wapda was negotiating with Iranian government for purchasing electricity supply for areas of Makran division close to the border.

Speaking at a press conference here, he said talks with the Iranian authorities were underway and an agreement was expected soon. “We are negotiating on the tariff,” he said.

Replying to a question, he said agreement in this regard could not be reached earlier due to high rates demanded by the Iranian government. “This time, I am hopeful we would agree on a reasonable tariff,” he said.

The Wapda chairman met Iranian Counsel General Abbas Haqeqat and discussed the issue with him.

Replying to a question, Lt-Gen Zulfiqar said Wapda had no plan of purchasing electricity from Central Asian States.

“We have surplus electricity and we are in a position to sell it to other countries,” he said.

He said Wapda had made all necessary arrangements to ensure smooth supply of electricity in the wake of threats of war.

“We have divided Wapda system in different zones so that any interruption in power supply to one area should not affect the other areas,” he said.

He said line losses in the province had been reduced to 24.7 per cent from 42 per cent.

He said the number of electricity consumers in the province had also increased by six per cent.

The recovery of Wapda dues in the domestic and commercial sectors was cent percent, he said.

However, in the agriculture sector, the rate had stalled at 40 per cent, he said.

He said that the authority was bearing losses of Rs4.2 billion annually in Balochistan due to long transmission lines with lesser consumers. The cost of distribution of power was higher in the province because of long distances, he said.

The cost per unit in the province was Rs8.10 while Wapda was charging Rs1.70 per unit, he said.

He said Wapda was spending Rs2.7 billion on transmission lines in Makran division.

He said work would be started soon on the construction of Kachhi canal, which would irrigate around 500,000 acres.

Zulfiqar Khan said that Wapda was spending Rs5.25 billion on improving electricity infrastructure in Balochistan.