By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: Nepra has imposed fines to the tune of 250 million on five power distribution companies for subjecting their consumers to load shedding in May and June 2022.
It stated that the power regulator had imposed the fines after a thorough investigation into the matter.
A fine of Rs50 million each was imposed on Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco), Quetta Electric Supply Company (Qesco), Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (Hesco), Sukkur
Electric Power Company (Sepco), and K-Electric for violation of the rules and regulations, it added. They were found to be involved in carrying out four to 16 hours of load shedding on a commercial basis. According to the statement, Nepra had launched legal action after receiving complaints about countrywide load shedding in 2022.
It continued that the power regulator provided every opportunity to the distribution companies to present their defence. Nepra had directed the distribution companies to disconnect power supply to defaulters only rather than suspending it to the entire feeder.
The distribution companies were also found involved in carrying out load shedding on a commercial basis during the last summer as well, the statement read. In a separate development, consumers are likely to pay an additional burden of billions of rupees in their electricity bills during the next financial year as Nepra has reserved its judgment on up to 20% hike in the margin of the ex-WAPDA power distribution companies (XWDiscos) for FY2024-25.
The power regulator has completed its two-day hearing on the all the 10 XWDiscos’ petitions for their revenue requirement of Rs2.763 trillion for the next financial year.
