FAISALABAD: Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) is making concerted efforts to mitigate the impact of high electricity costs on consumers by providing top-notch services, minimizing line losses, and ensuring an uninterrupted power supply, according to Engineer Muhammad Aamir, CEO of FESCO.
Addressing the industrialists and business community at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), Aamir emphasized FESCO’s commitment to efficient electricity distribution and accurate billing. He assured that best practices are being employed to eliminate over-billing, and meter readers are required to record actual readings.
Aamir highlighted the steps taken to enhance service quality, such as canceling holidays for staff on meter reading dates and correcting bills affected by Eid holidays. He also mentioned the addition of new transformers and the replacement of faulty ones to maintain an uninterrupted power supply. FESCO has also increased the procurement of D-rods to expedite electricity restoration.
Despite an acute staff shortage, FESCO is outsourcing services to ensure operational efficiency. Aamir advised consumers with high bills based on minimum load to adjust their load according to actual usage. He clarified that the determination of electricity tariffs falls outside his jurisdiction but assured that the Prime Minister’s announced tariff reduction for industrialists would be implemented once the notification is issued.
Aamir noted that a reduction in electricity consumption by the industrial sector and unplanned solarization have complicated capacity payment issues. He also pointed out that excessive solar energy intake has damaged transformers designed to handle only 30% of solar energy. He believes that issues related to quarterly adjustments and fuel cost adjustments will be resolved with the correction of the base rate.
FCCI President Dr. Khurram Tariq welcomed the CEO and highlighted the challenge of costly electricity. He noted that the unbundling of WAPDA into various entities has led to a focus on distribution and billing, prompting people to switch to solar energy to reduce their dependence on expensive electricity.
