KARACHI: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has issued a show-cause notice to K-Electric (KE) for failing to submit a satisfactory response regarding allegations of discriminatory loadshedding practices in Karachi, Dawn.com reported on Monday.

Nepra had earlier expressed serious concern over excessive and persistent power outages during the summer and directed the utility to address the hardships faced by consumers. In a letter to KE`s chief executive officer, the authority stated that it had received a large number of complaints about the unequal and prolonged loadshedding across various parts of the city.

In a notice issued on Monday, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the power regulatory said the power distribution companies are obligated to supply electricity on a `non-discriminatory` basis to all consumers, and shall have schedules to shed up to 30pc of its load on instructions of the NTDC.

When instructed, power distribution companies (Discos) can announce loadshedding in the order namely: supply to rural areas, residential consumers in urban area, agriculture consumers, industries, school and hospitals, and defenceinstallations.

The regulator said power companies should prepare loadsheding schedules in a nondiscriminatory manner.

Nepra sought on explanation from KE on Jan 8 for non-compliance of the of the authority`s orders, and carrying out loadshedding in violation of Nepra Act.

In this regard, a feeder containing commercial losses (theft and non-payment of dues by some consumers) is completely switched off for some hours a day despite the fact that some consumers are regular paying consumers.

`This establishes that compliant consumers are unnecessarily being punished due to some defaulters,` it added.

Nepra said the power company can carry out loadshedding at polemounted transformer (PMT) level on the instructions of the regulator or in case of generation shortage and transmission constraints.It said KE has installed AMI/AMR meters to identify specific energy losses at transformer level and could remotely disconnect the supply.

However, despite achieving commercial benefits, it is `not ready to provide relief to the people of Karachi`.

It added that during public hearings regarding Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA), the `people of Karachi largely complained about excessive loadshedding`.

Nepra has issued directives KE to start load shedding on PMT level instead of feeder level, but noted a serious noncompliance which has led to `undue suffering of good paying consumers and faced discriminatory behaviour in terms of receiving electric power supply which (is) their basic right.

KE submitted its reply on Jan 27, but following a detailed review, Nepra found the response unsatisfactory. Consequently, the regulator served a show-cause notice to the power utility and instructed it to respond within 15 days.

Failure to comply may result in a maximum penalty of Rs200 million, with an additional fine of Rs100,000 per dayfor continued violations.

In response to a query from Dawn, KE spokesperson Imran Rana, who is the head of communications, stated: `KE is currently reviewing the showcause notice received from Nepra.

After a thorough review, we will submit our response within the time frame set by the authority.