ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority has imposed a penalty of Rs10 million on the National Grid Company (NGC), formerly the National Transmission and Despatch Company, for failing to submit required data for the Integrated System Plan (ISP) 2024–34 despite repeated regulatory directions over the past year.
In a detailed order on Friday, the regulator said NGC had not met its regulatory obligations and failed to provide a satisfactory response to a show-cause notice. Nepra concluded that the company’s conduct warranted enforcement action following completion of legal proceedings.
The authority noted that the issue emerged during public hearings and consultations held in August 2024 on the 10-year generation and transmission expansion framework. Nepra had raised concerns over the base case of the Indicative Generation Capacity Expansion Plan (IGCEP 2024), which assumed a system load factor of 60%, and directed NGC to revise the plan by increasing the load factor to 70%. The required addendum was not submitted despite multiple reminders.
Nepra initiated formal legal proceedings against NGC in December 2024 after continued non-compliance. In its defence, the company stated that the proposed revisions were under review by various forums, including the Power Division, the Special Investment Facilitation Council, and the Prime Minister’s Office. NGC also cited revisions to project costs and load forecasts as contributing factors to the delay.
The regulator rejected these explanations, stating that NGC neither communicated the issues in a timely manner nor responded adequately to regulatory queries. Nepra said the submission timeline had been clearly defined in official correspondence and planning documents, contradicting NGC’s claim that o deadline was specified.
Although NGC representatives acknowledged responsibility for the delays and denied any intent to disregard regulatory instructions, Nepra ruled that the failure amounted to wilful default. The authority said the penalty was imposed to uphold the integrity of the planning process and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
