NTDC inquiry blames junior officers for nationwide power outage 

ISLAMABAD: The National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC) inquiry report on the major power breakdown that crippled Pakistan on January 23, 2023, points fingers at junior level officers, citing their alleged negligence as the primary cause for the countrywide blackout.

According to sources, shockingly, the report, released after a year-long investigation, outlines significant lapses in operational procedures, absence of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and a staggering mismanagement of a sector worth Rs3000 billion being run by the NTDC.

Despite the extensive inquiry, Deputy Managing Director System Operations Ali Zain Bantewala was notably spared any blame, raising eyebrows as the entire power system fell under his jurisdiction during the critical period, said sources.

As per details, Pakistan experienced a countrywide power breakdown on 23rd January, 2023 and it took approximately twenty hours to fully restore power through the NTDC’s network.

The NTDC inquiry, initiated through Company Secretary notification #NTDC/CS5146-47 on October 11, 2023, and later amended by GM (HR) Office Order #MD/NTDC/GM(HR)/IR/Enq-1739/4556-62 on December 12, 2023, comprised key personnel within NTDC. The Board of Directors (BoD) NTDC conveyed its instructions through Company Secretary notification dated December 19, 2023.

The accused officers under investigation were:

1.   Ateeq Ahmed, Assistant Manager/Shift Engineer
2.   Mubashir Hussain, Dy Manager/Shift Supervisor
3.   Farooq Jan, Dy Manager/Shift Co-Supervisor
4.   Palwasha Khan, Dy Manager (Shutdown)
5.   Aijaz Ali, Chief Engineer (Network Operation)/Manager Power Control

The committee, headed by Qaisar Khan, Deputy Managing Director (P&E) NTDC, as Convenor, Munawar Hussain, General Manager (PA) NTDC, as Member, Taqi-ud-Din, Chief Engineer (Substation Design) NTDC, as Member, and Husnain Arshad, Manager (C&RA) NTDC, was directed to conduct the inquiry in accordance with Rule-6 of The Pakistan WAPDA (E&D) Rules, 1978.

Mandate of the Committee

The Committee was directed to conduct the inquiry as provided under Rule-6 of The Pakistan WAPDA (E&D) Rules, 1978 and instruction/guideline thereof. As per the office order, the Committee was directed to give clear cut finding/recommendations of allegations levelled against the Accused Officers in the charge sheet/statements of allegations issued to them. 

The Committee held its meetings on 15th December, 2023 and 20th December, 2023 to deliberate on the matter including the earlier inquiry committee/fact findings report, constituted by NTDC BoD vide Company Secretary notification # NTDC/CS/4275-88 dated 28th April 2023. The charge sheets along with statement of allegations and the defense replies of the accused were also discussed.

As per details, three of the accused officers appeared before the inquiry committee on 26th December, 2023 while remaining accused officers appeared before the Committee through online video link on 27th December 2023. 

The Committee provided appropriate opportunity to each of the accused officers to defend their stance and completed the procedure required under the Rules in the presence of prosecution witness and departmental representative. 

Reliance of the Committee       

The Committee has relied on the report submitted by the officer of GM (HR) i-e An Independent departmental committee constituted by BoD NTDC in the light of instructions received from MoE (Power Division). Charge sheet along with allegations issued by the MD NTDC being competent authority and oral & written submission made by the accused officers and prosecution. Witness during personal hearing of respective accused officer.

Observations and Recommendations of the Committee:

Ateeq Ahmed, Assistant Manager/Shift Engineer:

The committee absolved Ateeq Ahmed of responsibility, citing his role as an operator acting on the instructions of the shift supervisor. The committee emphasized that the status of the 500kV Moro-Rahim Yar Khan T/line was well within the knowledge of his seniors.

Mubashir Hussain, Dy Manager/Shift Supervisor:

The committee agreed with the conclusion of an earlier inquiry committee, holding Mubashir Hussain responsible. His acknowledgment of the system's weakness and lack of SOPs related to transmission line loading and switching contributed to the recommendation of accountability.

Farooq Jan, Dy Manager/Shift Co-Supervisor:

Farooq Jan was found partly responsible by the committee. While he took corrective measures in the first part of the shift, his contribution during morning operations was deemed lacking.

Palwasha Khan, Dy Manager (Shutdown):

Palwasha Khan was deemed not responsible, with the committee emphasizing that defining loadability limits in the event of an outage was not her responsibility, and she was not linked with instant power flow conditions.

Aijaz Ali, Chief Engineer (Network Operation)/Manager Power Control:

Aijaz Ali was recommended to be held responsible by the committee for the operational error of non-closure of the 500 kV Moro-Rahim Yar Khan T/line and subsequent overloading on the rest of the AC corridor.

It is pertinent to mention that the detailed report provides insights into the complex chain of events leading to the power breakdown and outlines the responsibilities of key personnel. As the NTDC contemplates disciplinary actions based on the committee's recommendations, the findings underscore the need for robust operational procedures and heightened accountability in the power sector to prevent such incidents in the future.

The committee's reliance on the earlier inquiry report and the observations and recommendations raise questions about the accountability and oversight within the NTDC.

As Pakistan grapples with the aftermath of the incident, stakeholders await concrete actions based on the committee's recommendations to prevent future occurrences.