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A hearing was held at the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) regarding K-Electric’s request to recover Rs 76 billion from electricity consumers in Karachi. The hearing was chaired by NEPRA Chairman, Waseem Mukhtar.
K-Electric submitted a request for an additional write-off claim of Rs 8.13 billion. With the inclusion of previous write-off claims, the total amount exceeds Rs 76 billion. This request was made due to non-recovery from defaulters, as K-Electric had submitted their claim to NEPRA.
The company, responsible for supplying electricity to Karachi, has filed write-off claims for the period from 2017 to 2023. Previously, K-Electric had submitted claims worth Rs 67.9 billion to NEPRA.
During the hearing, K-Electric officials informed NEPRA that there are still dues pending from 500,000 consumers. Initially, the total outstanding amount stood at Rs 122 billion, out of which Rs 46 billion remains in the form of claims.
NEPRA raised the question of whether any dues would remain after these write-off claims. In response, the CEO of K-Electric hinted at the possibility of further outstanding amounts in this category. Officials briefed NEPRA that the total uncollected sum had reached Rs 122 billion.
NEPRA also asked whether the write-off claims for the years 2017 to 2023 were justified. K-Electric officials responded by stating that they have faced significant losses in recoveries and that approaching the authority in this matter is permitted under the regulations.
The member from NEPRA Punjab inquired if any new applications would be filed for this time period in the future. In response, K-Electric representatives clarified that the situation from 2017 to 2023 would be dealt with according to the established mechanism.
NEPRA further questioned whether all necessary procedures had been completed by K-Electric for these write-off claims. The company stated that all aspects for the 2017–2023 claims had been carefully considered, and the audit report had been submitted to the authority.
K-Electric officials also highlighted that, during the audit, customer relations are taken into account, and consumer feedback is included. The feedback provided by customers regarding bill recoveries is made part of the audit process.
The CEO of K-Electric remarked that if recoveries improve, the amount under write-off claims could be reduced. Officials explained that the company categorizes consumers into three types for auditing purposes: active, inactive, and scheme customers. Losses in recoveries are assessed across all three categories.
Following the hearing, NEPRA concluded the session regarding K-Electric’s Rs 76 billion write-off claim. The authority will issue its decision after reviewing the submitted data.
Meanwhile, electricity consumers in Karachi have urged NEPRA to reject K-Electric’s Rs 76 billion write-off request. A significant number of citizens participated in the hearing via Zoom, including businesspeople, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, and residential consumers.
They voiced strong criticism of K-Electric and demanded an independent audit. Consumers expressed concern that those who have already paid their bills would be charged again. “If we have fulfilled our responsibilities as citizens, why should we pay the bills for electricity theft?” they asked.
