To not pay its electricity bills of Rs8.7 million, the infinitely wise Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been powering its headquarters with three generators for the past two weeks. Which is well, except that the three generators powering the building drink up Rs150,000 worth of fuel in a day.
This comes to around Rs9 million in just 60 working days, a little over two months. The Islamabad Electric Supply Company’s (IESCO) tab is Rs8.3 million for the headquarters and Rs0.4 million for the estate office, both housed in sector G-6/2.
After the CDA failed to pay even the minimum amount due, the IESCO cut off power, forcing the civic body to turn to its backup generators to power the two buildings.
A 550KVA unit powers the chairman’s office, a 225KVA unit in the same block facilitates other high officials, and a 350 KVA generator is powering the estate office. The units are active from 8am to 4pm every work day by consuming fuel at the cost of Rs150,000 per day.
Sources in the CDA electrical and mechanical department told The Express Tribune that the 550KVA generator consumes 800 litres of diesel daily at a cost of roughly Rs88,000. Similarly, the 350 KVA one consumes 400 litres of diesel per day at a cost of Rs44,000, while the 225 KVA generator consumes 200 litres of diesel per day at a cost of Rs22,000.
The fuel is being purchased under a pre-existing agreement with the Pakistan State Oil.
Sources said the 550 KVA generator was installed when Farkhand Iqbal took charge as chairman, at a time the CDA was already strapped for cash.
“The entire exercise is being done in order to facilitate high officials and keep over 45 air-conditioners operational,” an official said.
A senior CDA official requesting not to be named opined that the chairman seems uninterested in resolving the power dues issue despite requests from senior officials.
CDA Spokesperson Masoodur Rehman confirmed that the CDA is using three generators due to the suspension of electricity supply, although he estimated the total daily fuel cost at Rs100,000 per day.
He was quick to note that the authority has recently auctioned some commercial plots and that once they are paid for, the authority would be in a position to pay overdue bills.
On the amount of smoke generated by the power units, which can be seen and smelled around the office area, Rehman said that these are new, modern generators and have less impact on the environment.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 19th, 2012.
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