Expensive electricity: Capacity charges identified as main reason

ISLAMABAD: In the country, capacity charges have been pinpointed as the primary cause of expensive electricity, with 48% of these charges borne by 22 government-owned companies. According to sources, public utilities are struggling with continuous handouts, with these 22 state entities collectively paying Rs. 169 billion 36 crore in the past three months.
Among them, WAPDA’s 21 electricity houses operated at 21% capacity, paying Rs. 21 billion 27 crore in capacity charges. The government-owned Malakand Thermal’s three electricity houses operated at 40% capacity, yet incurred Rs. 20 crore in charges solely for 100% generation capacity. Punjab Government’s Leader Thermal operated at 42% capacity but collected Rs. 11 billion 52 crore.
Punjab Thermal Power’s shut-down electricity house paid Rs. 10 billion 64 crore without any unit, while Punjab’s Leader Solar, operating at 16.3%, garnered Rs. 2 billion 41 crore. The federal government’s three units operated at only 5.8%, but collected Rs. 5 billion 95 crore in capacity charges.
Jhang and Block RLNG electricity houses operated at 72%, yet received Rs. 15 billion 73 crore, whereas Chashma Nuclear’s four units ran at 80% capacity, earning Rs. 37 billion 33 crore. KE topped the list, paying Rs. 64 billion 23 crore.