ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has imposed a fine of Rs26 million on Hyderabad Electric Supply Company (HESCO) on account of a transformer blast at Latifabad, wherein 10 persons died and around 12 were injured.
As per details, NEPRA also noticed that HESCO provided compensation worth Rs3.5 million to the family of a deceased employee who lost his life in the said incident; however, the families of nine deceased persons from the general public were given a compensation of Rs750,000.
The authority has directed HESCO to compensate these families with the same amount given to the deceased employee’s family and share documentary evidence of the same with the authority.
According to a statement by the authority, it had constituted a three member investigation committee upon receiving reports of the transformer blast incident. The team presented a detailed report to the authority after visiting the site, recording statements of residents, questioning concerned officers of HESCO, conducting an analysis of the damaged transformer, and visiting the manufacturer of the transformer.
The report revealed that there had been a total of 10 fatalities, including one of HESCO’s own employee and 9 persons from the general public as well as 12 injured persons.
NEPRA then issued a show cause notice to HESCO under Section 27B of the NEPRA Act, 1997 and later provided it with an opportunity of hearing.
Based on the evidence available on record, submissions of HESCO and relevant provisions of the laws, rules and regulations, the authority concluded that HESCO failed to discharge its statutory obligations to maintain safety standards as laid down in the relevant laws, code and manual, said NEPRA in a statement issued on Monday.
It is pertinent to mention here that frequent faults in the PMTs of HESCO are commonplace mainly, as claimed by the company, due to overloading – the linking of a higher number of power supply connections than the PMTs capacity.
