NA Committee to Review KE’s Performance in Karachi | Utility Seeks 51 Paise Tariff Hike for August
ISLAMABAD: Despite overcapacity in the power system, complaints of overbilling, excessive loadshedding, and high electricity costs in Karachi dominated discussions at parliamentary and regulatory forums on Thursday.
K-Electric (KE) faced sharp criticism from the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Power and a public hearing by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra). Both forums raised concerns over KE’s reliance on expensive power plants, leading to 6-18 hours of loadshedding and overcharging. Karachi residents, represented by consumer advocates, also disapproved of Nepra’s failure to protect their interests.
Chaired by MNA Muhammad Idrees, the parliamentary committee expressed its dissatisfaction with KE’s performance and announced a future meeting in Karachi to address these issues directly. Lawmakers also highlighted the persistent outages and urged the Ministry of Energy to address excessive billing and unscheduled loadshedding nationwide.
Simultaneously, a Nepra hearing reviewed KE’s request for a 51 paise per unit fuel cost adjustment for April, which could result in higher bills for consumers. Industry representatives criticized KE for operating inefficient plants, driving electricity costs far above those of the national grid.
Despite these criticisms, KE’s management defended its operations, citing challenges related to high-loss areas and technical faults.
Story by Khaleeq Kiani
