LAHORE, July 18: Line losses of the Water and Power Development Authority remained as high as 25.8 per cent during the year 2001-2002 and receivables went up from Rs43.885 billion to Rs51.148 billion.

According to its Power Distribution Progress Report of June 2002, the Wapda generated 60.860 billion units during the year, while consuming 1.1318 billion units — an auxiliary loss of 2.2 per cent. This loss was 2.1 per cent during the previous year.

Out of the net generation of 59.542 billion units, 54.903 billion units were dispatched for sale — a transmission loss of 4.639 billion units or 7.6 per cent. Another 9.741 billion units — or 16 per cent — were lost during the distribution. Thus, the total loss stood at 25.8 per cent.

The Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) suffered the highest line losses of 35.3 per cent, followed by the Peshawar company’s 22.4 per cent, Qesco’s 20.6 per cent, Lesco’s 15.9 per cent, Gepco’s 14.1 per cent, Mepco 11.2 per cent, Fesco 9.5 per cent and Iesco 8 per cent.

During the previous hearing of its tariff petition by the National Electric Power Regularity Authority the Wapda had committed to bring the losses down to 23.6 per cent by the end of fiscal year 2001-02.

After its failure to meet the target, it revised the target to 24.6 per cent which it has again failed to achieve. In its current tariff petition, seeking an 88 paisa per unit revision, the Wapda has committed itself to bringing the losses down to 23.1 per cent next year.

RECOVERY: The receivables also went up by Rs8.312 billion. There was also a Rs2.358 billion adjustment (a euphemism for write-off) so that the total rose from Rs45.247 billion last year to Rs51.201 billion this year.

Wapda’s failure to collect bills from the private sector was the worst offender last year; costing Rs7.588 billion. Collection from the private sector remained Rs180.5 billion — 96 per cent of the total billing of Rs188.9 billion.

Last year, collection from the private sector had been 103 per cent of the billing. This failure to recover dues from the private sector has increased the private sector dues from Rs16.546 billion to Rs24.134 billion — an increase of Rs7.588 billion over the year.

According to an insider, late reading of meters during June had enabled the Wapda to bring down its line losses from 26 per cent during the first 11 months to 25.8. Extending the revenue month by 10 to 15 days and collecting 33 to 40 per cent more payments had helped suppress the indicated losses by 0.2 per cent.

Wapda’s receivables from government sector rose by Rs970 million. The report also mentions a write-off of Rs2.358 billion; Rs1.140 billion against Wapda’s own bodies and Rs1.218 billion against Sindh. The reeceivable thus came down from Rs28.155 billion in the beginning of the year to Rs26.767 billion. Billing during the year was Rs44.265 billion and recovery Rs43.295 billion.

The write-off by Wapda has gone up to nearly Rs20 billion.