Nepra slaps Rs5mln fine on power producer

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) slapped five million rupees in penalty on a state-owned electricity generation company for a one-day power breakdown in northern areas, a document showed on Thursday.

Nepra fined Northern Power Generation Company Limited (Genco-III) on account of its negligence in maintenance of 220-kilovolt switchyard of thermal power station (TPS) Muzaffargarh and non-operation of protection system, which resulted in power breakdown on January 15, 2016 in northern network of the country (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab).

The authority took notice of the power breakdown and initiated legal proceedings against Genco-III and directed the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC) to investigate the matter and submit a report.

Nepra, after reviewing the inquiry reports of NTDC and Ministry of Energy, held Genco-III responsible for the power breakdown.

Non-operation of primary protection at TPS Muzaffargarh, managed by Genco-III, caused the cascaded tripping of transmission lines and power plants, which eventually resulted in a widespread power breakdown in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.