ISLAMABAD: Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) has alerted the federal government about the ongoing issue of unregistered FIRs against Members of National Assembly (MNAs) and Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs) involved in the illegal energization of feeders, informed sources told Business Recorder.
PESCO cautioned that the simultaneous activation of all high-loss heavy-load feeders on the same power transformers is technically impractical and could lead to system collapse. This would result in prolonged outages, severely impacting compliant consumers.
PESCO detailed incidents beginning on June 18, 2024, when unauthorized activities led to the illegal energization of several feeders across various grids. At 132KV Sakhi Chashma, led by Mayor Inam Ullah, 2 feeders were illegally energized, causing a financial loss of Rs. 2.13 million. Similarly, at 132KV Mardan-2, under the leadership of Daryab Khan Nazim, 1 feeder was illegally energized, leading to a financial loss of Rs. 0.24 million. The most significant impact occurred at 132KV Rehman Baba, where 10 feeders were illegally energized by protesters led by Fazli Elahi, MPA, and Jamil, resulting in a loss of Rs. 23.60 million. Overall, these incidents led to a total financial loss of Rs. 97.52 million on June 18 alone.
Illegal activities continued on June 19, with notable incidents at 132KV Taro Jaba and 132KV Rahman Baba, led by Zulfiqar MNA and Fazal Elahi MPA respectively. These incidents caused a combined financial loss of Rs. 144.30 million. The illegal energization persisted over the following days, with significant financial impacts on June 20, 21, 22, and 23, resulting in cumulative losses amounting to Rs. 912.08 million.
PESCO expressed distress over the repeated unauthorized entry into Grid Stations by elected representatives and mobs, particularly during Eid holidays and the hot summer season. These actions have created a threatening environment for PESCO staff and pose significant risks to equipment and operational integrity.
Despite repeated requests from PESCO, FIRs have not been registered against the involved MNAs and MPAs. Statements by the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, urging the public to prevent staff from switching off high-loss feeders, have exacerbated the situation.
PESCO’s CEO, in a letter to the federal government, emphasized the need for immediate measures to safeguard Grid Stations, prevent unauthorized access, and ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to compliant consumers.
Story by Mushtaq Ghumman
