KARACHI: Chief Executive Officer of K-Electric Syed Muhammad Taha pledged to curb illegal electricity connections and power theft while accelerating infrastructure upgrades for industries in Karachi’s SITE area, as he vowed to address long-standing complaints raised by industrialists during a visit to the SITE Association of Industry.
Taha said the multi-year tariff (MYT) issue would be resolved by September this year.
Highlighting operational measures, he said K-Electric was coordinating with law enforcement agencies and relevant authorities to tackle power theft and illegal connections in an effort to improve system stability and ensure equitable electricity distribution across the network.
He said infrastructure upgrades in heavily industrialised feeder and PMT zones would be prioritised, alongside efforts to improve response times for emergency breakdowns and technical faults affecting industrial operations.
Taha said overlapping administrative jurisdictions in certain areas were causing delays in repair work, as approvals from multiple authorities often took considerable time. He also said existing 11kV transmission lines should be upgraded to 33kV lines to improve system performance.
The KE chief added that the issue of ISPA charges was also being taken up at the level of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
Acting President Ahmed Zulfiqar Chaudhry briefed participants on the significance of the SITE industrial area, which spans around 4,700 acres and contributes nearly $2.8 billion annually in exports.
He said Taha had earned a strong reputation during his previous tenure as chief executive of Pakistan State Oil (PSO) and expressed optimism over improved coordination between industry and K-Electric under the utility’s new leadership.
