Govt to audit Discos to identify causes of power theft, technical and commercial losses

Dawn reported that the government has ordered a detailed technical audit of all former Wapda distribution companies, known as Discos, to establish the scale, causes and location of power theft and losses. The decision came from a meeting of a special committee formed by the prime minister, co-chaired by Ahad Cheema and Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari.

The Information Technology ministry will provide technological support for the audit, and an expression of interest will soon be issued to hire qualified experts, with terms of reference due by next week. The committee also decided to speed up installation of Advance Metering Infrastructure meters, including in Discos slated for privatisation, so that incoming private owners cannot overbill consumers. Cheema said the audit must diagnose underlying causes and yield actionable findings, adding that no burden of theft would be passed to the public.

The committee also reviewed a solarisation pilot in areas served by Pesco and Qesco, where theft and line losses are high, and welcomed the recovery gains made this year. Dawn added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had ordered a billing-system audit of Discos in June. Leghari said the Power Division was working to curb theft in Discos where it remains high.