ISLAMABAD: In a decisive move to combat power theft and inefficiencies in Sindh’s power sector, the federal government has inducted officers from intelligence, investigation, and law enforcement agencies into the Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco). This initiative marks the first deployment of a Disco Support Unit (DSU) in Sindh, following prolonged political and bureaucratic resistance.
A notification from the power division over the weekend outlined the structure of the DSU, which will operate for two years. The Sepco CEO and the Sector Commander of civil armed forces will serve as director and co-director of the unit, respectively. The team will include Grade 18 and 19 officers from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Military Intelligence, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and representatives from local civil and police administration.
DSUs were first approved by the federal cabinet in mid-2023 for all power distribution companies (Discos), starting with Multan and Sukkur. The Multan DSU became operational soon after and delivered encouraging results, prompting replication in Lahore and Quetta electric supply companies. The Sukkur DSU’s five key objectives include:
Accelerating recoveries and anti-theft measures.
Reducing non-technical losses through administrative reforms.
Implementing technical solutions for efficiency.
Addressing administrative gaps with support from law enforcement and civil administration.
Recommending the dismissal of underperforming staff based on intelligence reports.
The DSU will report directly to the federal power secretary and aims to tackle systemic mismanagement that has burdened the power sector with unsustainable losses.
Despite these efforts, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority’s (Nepra) latest report highlights a dire scenario. As of the last fiscal year, Discos’ receivables exceeded Rs2.3 trillion, with Rs900 billion in defaulted amounts, exacerbating the circular debt crisis to Rs2.4 trillion by June 2024.
Power Minister Awais Leghari recently claimed that governance reforms in eight of 10 Discos had reduced losses to Rs170 billion from Rs223 billion during the same period last year. However, he acknowledged that delays in reforming the remaining two Discos added Rs30 billion in losses.
The DSUs are a critical part of the government’s strategy to stabilize the power sector and reduce the financial hemorrhage, offering performance-based rewards for members involved in recovery and loss reduction efforts.
Story by Khaleeq Kiani
