NEPRA tells SC govt did not consult it on RPP deals
No rental power company, barring one, had complied with their contracts, counsel for National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) told the Supreme Court on Wednesday.
Pointing out irregularities committed by the government, Najamul Hassan Kazmi requested the court for guidelines on the matter. Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, presiding over a two-member SC bench, said cases should be filed against persons responsible for criminal negligence and asked if any action had been taken to check irregularities in the Rental Power Projects (RPPs) case.
Kazmi said Guddu Power Company was given Rs1.25 billion, while its machinery was transferred to Naudero 2, which claimed advance payment as well. He also claimed that certain private companies were given advance payments without consulting NEPRA, including one which had not even signed a contract with the government.
Anwar Kamal, who was appointed amicus curie, informed the court that the government did not comply with the Energy Ordinance 2002, the Companies Ordinance or the National Accountability Bureau ordinances in the case of RPPs. He said according to the NAB ordinance it is mandatory to publicise any project over Rs50 million on Public Procurement Regulatory Authority’s official website.
Further hearing was adjourned till Thursday (today).
Published in The Express Tribune, November 17th, 2011.
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