Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department is reeling under high Aggregate Technical and Commercial Losses (AT&C) with the recent figures suggesting the loss of more than 41 percent till the financial year 2023-24.
Among the both DISCOMs, Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) is facing extra 21 percent AT&C in compared to the Jammu Power Development Corporation Limited (JPDCL).
In the year 2020-21, JPDCL was facing 30 percent of AT&C while the KPDCL was reeling under 65 percent of losses.
Similarly, in the financial year 2021-22, there were 37.5 percent AT&C losses in Jammu DISCOM and 63.26 percent in Kashmir DISCOM.
The official figures further reveal that in the year 2022-23, JPDCL was grappled with 35.4 percent of AT&C losses and KPDCL with 59.59 percent.
Likewise, in the previous fiscal there was a total of 41 percent AT&C losses across the DISCOMs with 31 percent in JPDCL and 51.98 percent in KPDCL.
AT&C losses in the power sector refer to the difference between the total energy input into a distribution system and the energy for which payment is collected, encompassing both technical and energy loss during transmission and distribution and commercial billing and collection inefficiencies, theft losses.
An official said that the financial unbundling of DISCOMs is yet to be done. “As of now all the power sale revenues are credited to the consolidated fund of Jammu and Kashmir. Hence, no profit and loss could be ascertained.”
“However, based on the power purchase cost, O&M cost, other expenses and the subsidy provided by the government, the AT&C losses are calculated,” the official said.
In the month of January, Chief Minister (CM) Omar Abdullah had said that Jammu and Kashmir was facing AT&C losses of more than 50 percent. However, the national average of the Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses is nearly 15 percent.
Omar had further said that the government was providing more electricity to the people in comparison to the previous years—(KNO)
