ISLAMABAD, July 3: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is ready to help Pakistan overcome its power crisis provided the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) and the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) improve their distribution system by reducing transmission losses, it is learnt.

Informed sources told Dawn on Tuesday that the ADB had offered funds for power generation but on the condition that Wapda was first made to clear the mess in its eight distribution companies (Discos).

The Asian Bank has urged the government to improve the performance of distribution companies failing which it may not be able to offer any adequate financial assistance for ensuring a reliable power supply to ever-increasing number of industrial, commercial and domestic consumers.

The ADB also called for reviewing the tariff structure to determine sufficiency of Discos’ revenue, compared with their costs and capital outlays. In this regard, the sources said, the bank was of the view that the interaction with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority should ensure full knowledge about the tariff application and determination of matters relating to the distribution operations of each distribution company and the overall power sector.