The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Thursday imposed a Rs25 million fine on K-Electric (KE) over its operational failures during the nationwide power breakdown in January 2023.
Nepra directed K-Electric to deposit the fine within 15 days, following a detailed inquiry into KE’s failure to prevent or adequately respond to the power outage.
The regulator found KE responsible for deficiencies within its own power system, rejecting the company’s explanations as unsatisfactory and unacceptable.
According to Nepra, K-Electric failed to justify internal faults and operational errors and could not shift the entire blame onto the National Grid.
The authority also pointed to KE’s ineffective Black Start capability—a critical system designed to restore power generation independently of the national grid during a blackout. Despite prior drills, the Black Start system failed during the actual emergency, Nepra noted.