ISLAMABAD: National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has observed that a majority of power sector companies have demonstrated notable improvement in Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) compliance, reflecting effective leadership and the dedicated efforts of their teams.
NEPRA conducted the HSE performance evaluation for fiscal year 2024–25 under the mandate of Clause 7.52 of the Power Safety Code, using a comprehensive questionnaire comprising 20 common assessment categories. These categories were designed to measure, gauge and benchmark HSE performance across the power sector, irrespective of company size, generation capacity, project scale, technology type or operational configuration.
The evaluation covered generation, transmission and distribution companies, both in construction and operational phases.
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The assessment included various types of power plants — hydel, thermal, coal, wind, solar and nuclear — along with power sector projects and stations operated or owned by organisations such as the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organisation (PEDO), Punjab Power Development Company Limited (PPDCL) and projects under the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
In addition, power stations in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) receiving tariffs from Nepra under Power Purchase Agreements were also evaluated.
According to Nepra, while a majority of companies showed improvement in HSE compliance, a few participated in the regulatory-level evaluation on the basis of individual contributions rather than structured teamwork, indicating weaknesses in internal communication and coordination. Some companies also submitted outdated, obsolete or repetitive records, including resubmission of data from previous fiscal years.
Nepra noted that public sector organisations in particular, have failed over the past five years to establish effective HSE management systems in compliance with the Power Safety Code to adequately control their operational and maintenance risks.
Safety remains a core regulatory priority for Nepra in supporting national progress. Electricity poses significant hazards to humans, livestock, wildlife and infrastructure if not properly controlled or managed. These risks can lead to severe consequences, including system instability, forced outages, cascading failures, blackouts, short circuits, arc-flash incidents, fires, explosions, electric shock, severe burns, cardiac arrest, internal organ damage, serious injuries and fatalities.
Nepra stated that this initiative reflects its firm and ongoing commitment to strengthening HSE governance, risk mitigation and safety performance across Pakistan’s power sector.
The report also presents a comparative analysis of HSE performance trends over the past five fiscal years as part of the regulator’s continuous improvement monitoring framework.
The regulator clarified that a higher ranking in the report should not be construed as a guarantee, certification or assurance that a company’s actual field performance, operational controls or workplace conditions fully align with the evaluation outcomes.
Companies classified under the “poor” or “unsatisfactory” performance categories are required to develop and implement timely corrective and preventive measures to strengthen their HSE management systems and improve occupational safety performance, ensuring full compliance with the Nepra Power Safety Code and all applicable statutory, regulatory and engineering safety requirements.
Nepra further warned that the chief executive officer, managing director or equivalent, along with concerned officers, will be held personally responsible and accountable for all work-related and public-related accidents where a company is found negligent.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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