KARACHI: National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Friday conducted an open hearing on the issue of prolonged electricity loadshedding in Karachi.
During the hearing, K-Electric chief executive officer (CEO) Moonis Abdullah Alvi said loadshedding in Karachi will not end anytime soon. He said work is being done on power transmission system and 30-40 feeders are shut due to the power restoration process.
He said the power company faced a shortfall as electricity demand has risen to 3,300 megawatts while total production stands at 2,500 megawatts. He added that a furnace oil ship will reach Karachi on 16th July after which the power supply situation will improve.
Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly Firdous Shamim Naqvi questioned why K-Electric did not stock furnace oil for over a month. He said advance preparations are reduced to tackle the situation to save the suffering by citizens and that Nepra has failed to tackle the issue.
A citizen complained that K-Electric lodged cases against customers and has failed to upgrade its power generation and distribution system over the past 15 years.
NEPRA chairman said K-Electric has failed to implement the directives given and went to court when it was imposed a fine over electrocution deaths. He asked K-Electric CEO over the failure to apprise the regulator over the loadshedding.
NEPRA chairman directed K-Electric to submit a summary of the steps taken to improve the electricity system in the metropolis. He said the regulator can help get power supply from the federal government but the power utility company must have proper transmission structure.
K-Electric CEO said that the federal government was responsible for the ineffective transmission system in Karachi. A large number of political, business and social leaders were also present at the open hearing.
Since last month, K-Electric has started loadshedding under the pretext of shortage of furnace oil and gas supply. Citizens complained about the power outages and exorbitant bills being collected by the power utility.
Last month, NEPRA had also taken notice of unannounced loadshedding and high electricity bills by K-Electric. Prime Minister Imran Khan has also taken notice of the prolonged loadshedding in Karachi and urged Governor Sindh Imran Ismail and federal minister to resolve the power crisis.
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