ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has imposed penalties of Rs25 million each on the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) and the National Grid Company (NGC) for failing to ensure the availability and functionality of blackstart facilities at power stations, a key requirement under power purchase agreements and national regulations.
The action stems from the January 2021 nationwide blackout, which took nearly 20 hours to restore due to the non-functioning or absence of blackstart systems — essential for quickly re-energising the grid after a major breakdown. These facilities are already included in the tariff structure of both public and private-sector power plants.
Under the rules, CPPA is responsible for maintaining standard operating procedures with all power plants, while NGC must test and verify blackstart readiness. However, Nepra’s investigation revealed that many plants lacked operational blackstart capabilities, and despite repeated directives, nearly one-third still had not complied by February 2025.
During the inquiry, both entities attempted to justify their inability to enforce contractual obligations on power producers, but Nepra concluded that their arguments lacked legal merit. The regulator said the SOEs displayed delays, inconsistencies and weak enforcement, failing to meet binding contractual and regulatory requirements.
Nepra further noted that the CPPA and NGC did not finalise or sign blackstart SOPs with several power plants, despite clear and time-bound instructions. Many power producers stated they had submitted draft SOPs but could not proceed due to delays by the SOEs.
While some progress has been made, SOPs have been finalised for only 75 out of 112 power companies — a compliance rate of just 67 per cent, underscoring significant gaps in preparedness.
The regulator said the failures constituted violations of law and reinforced the need for stricter oversight to prevent future nationwide breakdowns.
Story by Khaleeq Kiani
