Islamabad: The Senate Standing Committee on Power, led by Senator Mohsin Aziz, convened at the Parliament House to address a public petition concerning the government’s plan to restructure the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC). The meeting focused on the proposed division of NTDC into smaller entities to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in operations.

According to a statement by Senate of Pakistan, the Secretary of the Ministry of Power presented the restructuring plan, which aims to keep NTDC engineers within the National Grid Company for internal operations. Meanwhile, a separate government-approved company will handle project execution and energy infrastructure development.

Senator Aziz questioned the effectiveness of previous separations within the power sector, such as WAPDA’s division, noting the lack of improvements for consumers. The Ministry of Power’s Secretary acknowledged the challenges in generation and transmission, highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach. The committee urged a future briefing from WAPDA on its strategic direction.

The Ministry of Power also briefed the committee on negotiations with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), revealing that operations for five IPPs ended on September 30, with one transferred to government ownership and the rest shut down. Additionally, bagasse pricing was standardized, and dollar-indexation mechanisms were removed. Senator Aziz called for further updates on remaining projects in the next meeting.

Discussions on privatization included the transfer of well-performing entities such as IESCO, FESCO, and GEPCO, with noted improvements in recovery and loss reduction. The Secretary confirmed ongoing evaluations by financial advisors to guide further privatization efforts.

The committee also examined appointments for CEO and management positions in distribution companies (DISCOS), emphasizing the need for timely replacements. The Secretary informed that boards had been notified about the end of their tenures, with new appointments recommended within a month. Senator Aziz requested a detailed report on the removal of SEPCO’s Executive Engineer over corruption allegations, demanding specifics on the decision within 15 days.

The session was attended by several senators, including Rahat Jamali, Manzoor Ahmed, Muhammad Aslam Abro, Shibli Faraz, and senior officials from the Ministry of Power and related departments.