The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has imposed a fine of Rs 10 million on K-Electric (KE) following its inadequate response to a show-cause notice concerning an electrocution incident in Karachi that occurred between 2022 and 2023.
This penalty pertains to one specific case out of 33 reported electrocution incidents. NEPRA’s investigation found no fault with KE in the remaining 32 cases, as these incidents were primarily within private premises or commercial and non-commercial buildings beyond KE’s responsibility.
In the case associated with the fine, NEPRA’s report revealed uncertainties regarding the cause of the electrocution, with doctors indicating that the victim had no visible signs of electrocution, raising questions about whether the death was due to a heart attack instead.
Despite KE not being directly implicated, NEPRA has mandated that K-Electric compensate the victim’s family with Rs 3.5 million and offer employment to a member of the deceased’s family. A K-Electric spokesperson has defended the utility, stating, “NEPRA’s investigation concluded that KE was not negligent in 32 out of the 33 electrocution cases reported in Karachi between July 2022 and June 2023. The fine was levied solely due to an unsatisfactory response to the show-cause notice for one incident.”
