ISLAMABAD: Four years after the massive nationwide blackout, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has officially held the National Grid Company and the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) responsible for the failure that plunged Pakistan into darkness, ARY News reported.
According to the reports, both organisations have been fined Rs25 million each, with orders to deposit the penalty within 15 days.
The regulator stated that on January 8, 2021, Pakistan remained without power for nearly 20 hours, yet the National Grid Company and CPPA failed to restore electricity in time.
The decision further noted that major power interruptions were also reported in 2021, 2022 and 2023, highlighting repeated system vulnerabilities.
NEPRA said a special investigation committee was formed to probe the blackout, but during hearings, both the National Grid Company and CPPA failed to satisfy the authority.
Instead, the two organisations attempted to shift blame onto each other, the report revealed.
The final ruling concludes that both entities were responsible for delayed restoration efforts and repeated failures in ensuring system stability.
NEPRA Fines Power Companies Rs57.5mln
On November 18, 2025, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) imposed a cumulative fine of Rs. 57.5 million on three power distribution companies over fatal electrocution incidents that claimed 30 lives during the fiscal year 2023–24.
According to NEPRA, LESCO has been fined Rs. 30 million, GEPCO Rs. 17.5 million, and FESCO Rs. 10 million for failing to ensure adequate safety measures across their respective operational jurisdictions.
NEPRA’s investigation held the companies responsible for the deaths, attributing 13 fatalities to LESCO, 9 to GEPCO, and 8 to FESCO. The regulatory body has directed the companies to compensate the victims’ families in accordance with the applicable compensation policy.
The authority had earlier issued show-cause notices and conducted formal hearings, during which the companies failed to satisfy NEPRA regarding the preventive and corrective steps they claimed to have taken.
In its decision, NEPRA stated that timely measures by the companies could have prevented the loss of precious human lives, noting that the firms had not implemented sufficient safety protocols to avert such incidents.