Govt freezes monetised cost of free units of electricity

ISLAMABAD: The power division has notified a freeze on monetised cost of free electricity units to all the senior employees of power companies and the Water and Po­­w­er Development Authority (Wapda) at the existing level for future.

In a notification issued here on Tuesday, the power division said the federal cabinet had approved monetisation of free electricity units admissible to the employees of Wapda, ex-Wapda companies, including distribution companies (Discos), generation companies (Gencos), National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) and Power Information Technology Company (PITC).

It said the cabinet had on Oct 26 also approved that “for future, these rates shall remain same and any change therein shall require prior approval of the federal cabinet”. Therefore, the rates notified below would stand frozen.

Under the notification, in the first phase the electricity facility to in-service employees (BS-17 and above) of Wapda, Discos, Gencos, NTDC and PITC has been monetised after calculation of supply tariff issued on July 26, 2023, excluding taxes and duties. “Henceforth, all the in-service employees in grade-17 and above entities shall pay the electricity bills issued by respective Discos against the reference numbers already available with Discos.”

The notification said the grade-17 employee of Discos and Wapda, who are allowed 450 units per month, would now be paid its cost at Rs15,858 per month, while those in Gencos, who are entitled to 650 units, would get Rs24,570.

The grade-18 employees of Discos and Wapda, are entitled to 600 units per month, would be paid Rs21,996, while their counterparts in Gencos, who are allowed 700 units, would be paid Rs26,460 per month.

Likewise, grade-19 employees in Discos and Wapda, who are entitled to 880 units per month, would be paid Rs37,594, while those in Gencos, entitled to 1,000 units, would get Rs42720.

The grade-20 employees in Dis­cos, Wapda and Gencos, who are entitled to 1,100 units per month, and would now get Rs46,992. The grade-21 employees in Discos and Gencos, who are entitled to 1,300 units, would be replaced with Rs55,536 per month allowance in salary.