ISLAMABAD – The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority Thursday lashed out at power distribution companies (Discos) over the spike in fatal accidents, which has claimed 11 lives in July. Islamabad Electric Supply Company was on top of the list with 55 percent casualties.
The issue of fatal accidents echoed in a public hearing conducted by NEPRA on the petition of Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guaranteed (CPPA-G) seeking a refund of Rs1.69 per unit to consumers on account of fuel charges adjustments for the month of July 2025. In a petition submitted to NEPRA, on the behalf Ex-Wapda DISCOs (DISCOs), the CPPA- G said that for the month of June the reference fuel charges from the consumers were Rs9.8758/unit, while the total fuel cost per unit was Rs8.1848/ unit; therefore, it should be allowed to refund Rs1.6911/unit to the consumers – having an impact of Rs 23.11 billion- on account of monthly fuel charges adjustment for the month of July 2025.
The hearing, which was conducted with Chairman NEPRA Waseem Mukhtar in chair, was informed that the power generation slumped by 10 percent in July on month-on-month basis, while on year-over-year basis it declined by 5 percent. NEPRA expressed severe indignation over the spike in fatal accidents, with Member Rafiq Ahmad Sheikh demanding answers from Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco), where six deaths were reported in just one month.
“Where is the CEO Iesco? Where were the safety measures?” Sheikh asked, warning that the authority could impose maximum penalties on negligent firms. He acknowledged the regulator inability to control accidental deaths in Discos, saying that the Authority’s jurisdiction is only limited to imposing fine in case of fatal accidents. “But these companies run to courts and get stay orders,” he added.
NEPRA said the Power Division, through a letter, conveyed the Economic Coordination Committee’s (ECC) directive that K-Electric consumers also be charged the FCA determined for Discos, in line with the government’s uniform tariff policy. If the proposed adjustment was approved, it will apply to all categories of consumers except lifeline users, protected consumers, prepaid customers, and electric vehicle charging stations.
The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) informed the regulator that higher hydropower generation in July reduced dependence on costly imported LNG. On an annual basis, overall generation dipped 5 percent, though monthly production grew 3 percent, according to NEPRA’s technical member. Several major power plants, including Neelum-Jhelum, Punjab Thermal, and Guddu, remain shut, compounding reliability issues in the grid, members noted.
Industrial consumers at the hearing praised NEPRA for at least trying to address public grievances, while accusing the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) of becoming “no more than a post office” and openly violating rules. The Ogra has become a rubber stamp, which approves each and every directive of the government, the consumer claimed. The power regulator concluded a public hearing on the July fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for power distribution companies (Discos), where the Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guaranteed (CPPA-G) sought the per unit cut for one month.
