Power breakdown of Jan 23: Senate panel directs Power Division to conduct probe

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Power Tuesday directed Power Division to probe the power breakdown of January 23, 2023 along with Nepra and independent experts and submit report to the committee as the panel headed by Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Musadik Malik has failed to finalise its report within the timeframe given by the Cabinet.

Presided over by Senator Saifullah Abro, the committee expressed surprise as to why the committee constituted by the Cabinet has been unable to meet the deadline. Some of the senators were of the view that the head of the committee is too busy in political affairs and does not have adequate time to finalise the inquiry report. The committee directed Power Division to appoint former JPCL CEO Syed Tanvir Ahmad Jafari as head of the committee.

A Joint Secretary of Power Division dealing with NTDC informed the Committee that Musadik led Committee has held four meetings and its fifth meeting was scheduled on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Power surge crashes grid, plunging millions into darkness

During the briefing, General Manager, NPCC, Sajjad Akhtar revealed that there are four projects which have a black starter system i.e. Tarbela Dam, Mangla Dam, Warsak Dam and Uch Power Plant adding that Tarbela is always used to restart generation system but this time seven attempts to start the plant failed, after which Mangla dam was started to energize the system.

The Committee expressed its annoyance at decommissioning of Faisalabad Thermal Power Plant which also has a black starter. Chairman Nepra, however, clarified that its per unit cost was too high.

Responding to a question, Chairman Nepra informed the Committee that the Regulator has held a detailed meeting on power breakdown for Root Cause Analysis (RCA) adding that there should not be a breakdown across the country if isolation points had been working properly. He said the regulator is expected to dispatch its team to inspect Tarbela dam to find out the reasons for its failure to restart in seven attempts.

He also informed the Committee that the Nepra’s recommendations in previous blackout of 2021 were disregarded by the NTDC.

Senate Committee sought clarification on absence of both DMDs of NTDC. Additional Secretary, Power Division, Arshad Majeed Mohmand, informed the Committee that Manzoor Ahmad, DMD, has been sacked whereas inquiry report was prepared by Zain Banatwala, DMD, who submitted the report to the Secretary which is why both DMDs were ineligible to attend the meeting. He said, action against Banatwala will be taken before the next meeting of the Committee.

The Senate also directed Power Division to sack all 164 officers appointed in Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), after grilling senior officials of Power Division for not freezing the hiring process, after exchange of hot words between Senator AsadJunejo and Additional Secretary Arshad Majeed Mohmand on the authority of the Committee.

The Committee also made unsavory remarks about Minister for Power, Khurram Dastgir Khan for scrapping the hiring process in Gujranwala Electric Power Company (GECPO).

The Committee also raised questions on tendering process of 765 KV double circuit transmission line from Dasu Hydropower Station to Islamabad i/c grid station. However, General Manager, NTDC denied any wrongdoing.

The committee chairman expressed dissatisfaction over the briefing of the officials and said that irregularities will not be allowed in the project worth Rs 132 billion. All the details including bidding process, data, work order, pre-qualification of consultant regarding the project were sought and directed to stop the work on the project.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023