Senators slam NEPRA over rising electricity costs
Photo: File
Senators on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), accusing it of siding with power producers over consumers and failing to provide affordable electricity. Lawmakers called for urgent forensic audits of Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and comprehensive reforms in the power sector, warning that mismanagement is hurting households, industries, and exports alike.
Speaking during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on the Cabinet Secretariat, Senator Saleem Mandviwala accused NEPRA of siding with power producers rather than consumers.
"NEPRA was created for the convenience of the public, but it has become the advocate of electricity companies and distributors. Consumers are being charged Rs2.2 trillion for electricity that was never produced or consumed, simply because demand drops in winter. When will this end?" he asked. Senator Mandviwala added that despite 28 years of NEPRA's existence, it has failed to provide affordable electricity to the common man.
The session, chaired by Senator Rana Mahmood-ul-Hasan, was briefed on the solar net metering policy and other matters relating to NEPRA. Senators Mandviwala and Kazim Ali Shah attended in person, while Senators Muhammad Abdul Qadir and Atta-ur-Rehman participated online. Sindh Assembly members Sharq Jamal and Asif Mosi were also present.
Supporting Mandviwala, Senator Qadir said that even after closing non-functional plants and auditing IPPs, the electricity situation remained unresolved. "Electricity is a major issue for 250 million citizens. NEPRA has pending applications for 1,000MW of new connections, but it is unclear whether any progress has been made. High energy costs are hurting our exports. IPPs have effectively held the country hostage, yet no forensic audits are conducted to assess their earnings," he said.
The committee unanimously recommended a forensic audit of IPPs to determine electricity production, supply, and capacity charges collected from the government.