HESCO fined Rs31m for electrocuted victims

NEPRA says power utility failed to discharge its obligations

KARACHI:

The Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) has been penalized Rs31 million for 12 deaths due to electrocution from its transmission network during 16 months from July, 2019, to October, 2020. The company will have to pay an additional sum of Rs24.5 million as compensation for the deaths of private citizens.

According to a press statement released on Friday, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, following an inquiry report against the company, imposed the fine. "HESCO has failed to discharge its obligations to maintain the safety standards as laid down in the relevant laws," it reads.

A total of 15 people died of electrocution in the said period in separate incidents across different districts of Sindh. The inquiry found HESCO responsible for 12 of these deaths. The deaths included seven locals and five employees of the company. The inquiry, however, has not covered the June and July explosions of pole mounted transformers in Hyderabad which took 13 lives.

"The authority issued a show cause notice to HESCO under section 27B of the NEPRA Act, 1997, and later provided an opportunity of hearing to HESCO," NEPRA stated. On the basis of the available evidence, submissions of HESCO and related provisions of the laws, rules and regulations, the authority concluded that HESCO failed to comply with the safety standard laws.

"Further, HESCO failed to report these fatalities to the authority in the prescribed manner as envisaged under NEPRA Performance Standards (Distribution) Rules, 2005." The authority also took notice of discrimination on part of HESCO which paid Rs3.5 compensation to the families of each of its five electrocuted employees but no compensation was made for the deaths of seven private citizens to their affected families.

"No compensation has been given to the families of seven deceased persons from the general public."

NEPRA directed HESCO to pay compensation to the families of the private citizens equal to the sum Rs3.5 million it paid to the families of its employees who died of electrocution. The company will have to submit a compliance report against the directives to the authority.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2021.