Senate body grills NEPRA chief on hike in power tariffs

National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Chairman Tauseef H. Farooqi said on Tuesday that past agreements were to blame for raise in power tariffs, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Responding to the questions put by the members of Senate’s Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, he said whether the country received electricity or not, it would have to pay its costs. “Apart from that Pak Rupee’s depreciation has also led to an increase in electricity bills,” Farooqi told the committee.

Cutting the NEPRA chairman short, Committee Chairman Rana Maqbool Ahmed said all these are oft-repeated statements. “You please tell us as to what is the government doing to ensure that consumers don’t have to pay inflated bills?” he questioned.

He said there was free power supply to the residences of government servants. “But, on the contrary, ordinary people were receiving heavy amounts in electricity bills,” he regretted.

“We are answerable to The Almighty Allah on the day of resurrection, while are answerable to the people in this world,” the committee chairman said.

When Rana Maqbool asked the NEPRA chairman as to what had become of the fine imposed on Karachi-Electric (K-Electric), he said that the power supply company had paid Rs160 million in fine.

Chairman Farooqi further said that this was for the first time in the NEPRA’s history that the K-Electric had been made to pay the fine. “For the first time in 24 years, K-Electric has not sought stay order from the court; rather it paid the bill. I think K-Electric has now realised moving the court against fines was of no use,” he told the committee.