Disorder mars Nepra’s KE public hearing

Political leaders, businessmen pick holes in power utility's performance, KE head claims persistent improvement

A public hearing held by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) in connection with complaints against Karachi's sole power utility- K-Electric (KE) - on Monday was marred by disorder as the city's traders expressed reservations and criticised KE over its poor performance.

Speaking on the occasion, former Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry president and prominent businessman Siraj Qasim Teli said the business community was ready to set up a new power distribution company if KE's monopoly was brought to an end.

"[But] what happens when KE's licence is revoked and there is no other power distribution company?" questioned Nepra chairperson Tauseef Farooqi.

The remark was followed by a ruckus disrupting the session and after a call to restore order went unheeded, Nepra chairperson commented, "Why are [Nepra] representatives attending [the session] and wasting their time."

This heightened the uproar, as the meeting hall resounded with slogans against KE, forcing the Nepra to adjourn the hearing.

Later, when the hearing was resumed, KE chief financial officer Amir Ghaziani pointed out that "Under the amendment in the Nepra Act, we are allowed to operate until 2023." He added, "We, too, want companies other than KE to get involved in power distribution [in the city], but new entrants will have to decide on a way to produce cheap electricity."

Further defending the power utility, KE chief executive officer Moonis Alvi claimed that the company had invested more in power distribution than what was stated in its contract and resultantly, had managed to reduce losses by 16 percent. He said, "KE's system has been improving persistently."

However, Jamaat-e-Islami's (JI's) Karachi chapter head Hafiz Naeemur Rehman maintained that electricity supply to most areas of the city was suspended with the first smattering of rain and load shedding continued to increase with the rise in humidity. Plus, he said, KE carries out load shedding even during winters, giving the excuse of gas shoratge.

"When you are working for Karachi, you should manage affairs according [to the city' needs]," the JI leader remarked. "These people [KE] do not provide any details about electricity demand and supply and we accept whatever they say."

Rehman said Bin Qasim Town's power plants had been shifting to coal for years.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan also criticised KE, saying it lacked the system to trace electricity faults.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd, 2020.