Nepra has imposed fines of Rs25 million each on the National Grid Company and the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) for repeated non-compliance with safety and legal requirements essential for protecting Pakistan’s power system. In two separate orders, Nepra cited violations under Section 48 of the NEPRA Act, noting that both entities failed to finalize mandatory operating procedures with dozens of power plants and lacked adequate planning for grid restoration after system failures.Investigators found that over one-third of required procedures remain unsigned years after their deadlines. Nepra rejected attempts by both organizations to shift responsibility onto power producers and highlighted that dispute mechanisms already exist under power purchase agreements.The regulator also linked Pakistan’s delayed recovery during major blackouts in 2021, 2022, and 2023 to weak “black start” preparedness. Nepra criticized the companies for conducting required tests only after legal action began, calling the behavior evasive and harmful to grid security.
