NEPRA takes notice of unscheduled outages

Directs DISCOs to avoid this practice as it is violating laws

ISLAMABAD:

Taking notice of unscheduled load-shedding across the country, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has directed distribution companies (DISCOs) to avoid this practice as it is in clear violation of Nepra laws. The regulator has taken notice of consumer complaints regarding aggregate, technical and commercial (AT&C) based load-shedding in the country, according to a statement issued on Tuesday.

Load-shedding had been reported particularly in areas covered by Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco), Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco), Sukkur Electric Power Company (Sepco), Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco) and K-Electric, it said. The authority asked DISCOs to submit a comprehensive report within a month, failing which the regulator would initiate legal proceedings under the Nepra (Fine) Regulations 2021.

Showing concern over transmission/ distribution losses, recovery and AT&C losses, Nepra directed DISCOs to initiate proceedings against the officers concerned, “who are directly responsible for such poor performance”. “Advisories to the board of directors of these DISCOs with a copy to the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) have been sent showing their respective performances,” the statement said. Considering the data of 11kV feeders of urban areas, the regulator observed that “DISCOs have failed to establish their writ”. In this regard, Nepra sought a comprehensive plan to make urban feeders “free from loadshedding” and reduce AT&C losses within a concrete timeline.

Nepra had already sent an advisory to the Ministry of Energy (Power Division), mentioning that the government’s AT&C-based loadshedding policy – which was not to supply electricity to high-loss feeders – was adversely impacting the overall sales growth of the available take-or-pay power plants, thus increasing the circular debt. The regulator recalled that AT&C-based load-shedding was introduced in 2017, when there was power-generation shortage in the country.

“However, the continuity of the same policy does not appear to be beneficial for the power sector and consumers”, who were badly suffering due to the policy. In November 2021, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) issued a show cause notice to the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) 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.