NEPRA issues show cause notice over PMT blast

Around 40 HESCO officers to return to parent companies, vice versa

KARACHI:

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) issued a show cause notice to the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) on Monday over the July 22 incident of a pole mounted transformer (PMT) explosion.

The blast, which was accompanied by the spilling of hot oil that caused fatal burns injuries, killed 10 people while at least 12 others were critically injured.

The notice was issued after an inquiry committee of the authority submitted its report to NEPRA. However, the findings of the committee about the incident are yet concealed from the public, which remains a victim of the excesses of the power distribution companies.

HESCO had also constituted a similar committee, which was supposed to submit its report on July 23. That report also remains hidden from the public's knowledge.

According to a press release issued by NEPRA, the authority formed an investigation committee under Section 27A of the NEPRA Act, 1997. It was tasked with thoroughly investigating the matter in accordance with the authority's laws, rules and regulations. The committee visited the site of the incident in Latifabad No8, recorded statements of the residents of the area and investigated the relevant officers from July 25 to July 27.

It also conducted a technical postmortem of the damaged transformer and visited its manufacturing company in Lahore as well. "On the basis of the committee's detailed report, NEPRA has decided to initiate legal proceedings against HESCO."

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The distribution company has 15 days to submit its reply to the notice after which NEPRA will decide the matter according to the law. The authority claimed that it has already directed HESCO to immediately improve its overall distribution network to avoid such occurrences in future.

Officers' repatriation

Meanwhile, on the directives of the federal authority, around 40 officers will undergo the repatriation from HESCO to their parent companies and vice versa. About half of that strength will be returned to Multan, Sukkur and Quetta-based power distribution companies while almost a similar number will be returned to HESCO from Multan, Sukkur, Quetta, Faisalabad and Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO).

The issue was discussed at a meeting of the company's board of directors on Monday. An official, who requested anonymity, expressed hope that the company's repatriated officers will help improve the overall performance because they are more familiar with the system than those who come from other regions.

"All officers posted in HESCO by PEPCO on promotion or otherwise from other DISCOs [distribution companies] will immediately be relieved to join their parent DISCOs," read a letter written by PEPCO on Monday to HESCO. "Other DISCOs, where the officers of HESCO are posted, will be requested to relieve them to report to HESCO."

PEPCO directed the distribution company to prepare the seniority list of its employees in this regard.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2021.