Daily Times

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday imposed a fine of Rs 5 million on the Northern Power Generation Company Limited GENCO-III, a state-owned power generation company.

The decision was taken in view of negligence in maintenance of 220 kV switchyard of the Muzaffargarh Thermal Power Station and failure of the protection system which resulted in the January 15, 2016, power breakdown in major areas of Punjab and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP).

The Nepra had taken serious notice of the breakdown and initiated legal proceedings against GENCO-III, directing the National Transmission and Desptach Company (NTDC) to investigate the matter and submit a report. After reviewing the inquiry reports submitted by the NTDC and the Ministry of Energy, the regulatory authority 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 wide spread power breakdown leaving Punjab and KPK in dark,” it noted.

A statement issued by the Nepra on the occasion said that prior to the occurrence of January 15 breakdown, the power regulator had taken notice of deficiencies and defects in the switchyard and directed GENCO-III to remedy these deficiencies and maintain switchyard.

The statement mentioned that a show-cause notice was issued to GENCO-III on its failure to comply with the directions, and an opportunity for a hearing was also afforded to the company on January 24, 2018.

“During the hearing, the representatives of GENCO-III were unable to provide any plausible reason to defend itself against the charges framed and it was established that the directions of the authority and provisions of generation license, Nepra Licensing

(Generation) Rules, 2000 and Grid Code 2005 were being violated by GENCO-III,” it added.

Published in Daily Times, June 22^nd 2018.