Nepra accused of extending financial benefit to KE

Ministry of Water and Power has reportedly again accused National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) of extending billions of rupees financial benefit to Karachi Electric (KE). Recently, Secretary Water and Power, Younus Dagha wrote a letter to Chairman Nepra saying that the regulator had forced KE consumers to pay an additional amount of Rs 62 billion.
An official on condition of anonymity claimed that Nepra's prompt response to the Water and Power Ministry's letter shows connivance between Nepra and KE.
According to the official, Nepra constituted the committee headed by the tariff officer accused of extending financial benefit to KE through tariff, while another officer was removed from National Power Control Centre (NPCC) for operating low efficient power plants.
"Is any further evidence required of their collusion? Nepra constituted an enquiry committee on January 31, 2017 on the complaint of Water and Power Ministry regarding overcharging of KE consumers and then removed one clear evidence the very second day.
How blatant was this collusion!" argued another official. Insiders claim that relations between the Ministry of Water and Power and Nepra are still sore despite a notification issued by the Cabinet Division to bring the regulator under the administrative control of the Ministry. Peshawar High Court (PHC) has issued a stay order on a petition filed by Senator Nauman Wazir Khattak of PTI.
Officials in the Water and Power Ministry, sources said, have the considered opinion that incumbent Chairman Nepra, Brigadier Tariq Saddozai(retd) has used his good ties with Senator Nauman Wazir to file a writ petition in PHC.
Ministry of Water and Power further maintains that Nepra is very lenient with Independent Power Producers (IPPs) compared to public sector generation companies (Gencos) with respect to efficiency audit.