The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has initiated legal proceedings against three independent power producers (IPPs) for their failure to restore power to the national grid following a nationwide blackout in January last year.
Show-cause notices have been issued to the 1,320MW Sahiwal Coal Power Project, the 450MW Rousch Power Plant, and the 134MW Saba Power Project.
The action follows detailed investigations into the plants’ inability to synchronize their generating units with the national grid within the required timeframe. This failure contributed to prolonged outages across the country after a major power breakdown occurred on January 23, 2023.
Nepra’s probe committee scrutinised explanations from the IPPs and cross-checked them with data from the National Power Control Centre (NPCC) and the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA). Based on the findings, the regulator decided to proceed with penalties for the plants’ inability to meet their contractual obligations.
The breakdown resulted in a complete power outage across the country, with restoration taking around 20 hours. Following the incident, Nepra launched an inquiry, which involved visits to power stations, grid sites, and the examination of key documents.
The investigation revealed that the IPPs failed to comply with NPCC instructions in a timely manner, causing significant delays in restoring the power system.
The Sahiwal Coal Power Project argued that the start-up procedures during a blackout differ from normal operations, citing the need for extra time to normalize the plant’s components. However, Nepra found these explanations unsatisfactory, noting that the required blackout procedures had not been finalized on time, a lapse dating back five years.
Similarly, Nepra identified shortcomings in the responses of Rousch and Saba Power, concluding that the plants failed to include necessary procedures to address power system recovery.
As a result, Nepra has commenced formal legal action, giving the IPPs an opportunity to defend their cases in writing and present evidence. They will also be granted a personal hearing before the regulator imposes any penalties for their role in the extended power outages across the country.
