ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has taken serious notice of prolonged and unscheduled power outages in Karachi and sought a detailed explanation from K-Electric over alleged violations of agreed load-shedding commitments.
The issue surfaced during a public hearing on the Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA) for April 2026, where the Central Power Purchasing Agency-Guaranteed (CPPA-G) had requested a positive adjustment of Rs1.73 per kWh, amounting to Rs16.03 billion, citing lower hydel generation, reduced RLNG availability due to regional conflict, and constraints in coal and nuclear output.
During the hearing, the Director General of the Consumers Affairs Division highlighted that K-Electric was reportedly carrying out extended and unannounced load shedding amid severe heat conditions, failing to adhere to the approved schedule. He added that multiple complaints had been received from different areas regarding delayed fault rectification and prolonged outages.
NEPRA observed that the utility was not complying with approved load-shedding timings and was allegedly not differentiating between low-loss and high-loss feeders, despite prior commitments. The regulator directed K-Electric to submit a comprehensive report explaining its load management practices and deviations, if any.
The regulator also instructed the utility’s tariff division representative to provide detailed documentation for review.
Stakeholders, including representatives of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), urged NEPRA to take strict action against prolonged and unannounced outages, citing serious inconvenience to consumers and businesses.
Officials from CPPA-G informed the forum that electricity supply conditions had been impacted in April due to regional disruptions affecting LNG availability. They noted that indigenous gas had been diverted to RLNG-based plants at subsidized rates to manage costs and stabilize the Fuel Charges Adjustment.
They further stated that electricity consumption declined by 8.5 percent year-on-year in April 2026, with notable reductions across most sectors except industry, which recorded growth.
CPPA-G officials added that LNG supply has since stabilized, with import cargoes resuming under long-term and spot arrangements, improving operational conditions for RLNG-based generation.
The authority also noted that industrial electricity consumption rose significantly under the government’s surplus power package, though concerns were raised about its effectiveness and implementation gaps.
In response to concerns raised during the hearing, CPPA-G’s Chief Executive Officer stated that without support from the national grid, electricity consumers could have faced significantly higher tariff increases for April.
Meanwhile, K-Electric in its response stated that it would fully comply with NEPRA’s directives and submit the required report. The utility attributed localized faults to ongoing civic development work and assured that field teams were actively addressing disruptions on a priority basis.
Story by Mushtaq Ghumman
