Safety Awareness Campaign 2025: NGC organises seminars at various grid stations
LAHORE: The National Grid Company of Pakistan (formerly NTDC) has launched a nationwide series of safety training seminars under 'Safety Awareness Campaign 2025,' aimed at strengthening safety practices and enhancing public awareness, by ensuring compliance with directives of Nepra and equipping staff with essential knowledge and skills to achieve Zero Accident Goal.
Following the campaign, safety seminars were organized at 500kV grid stations; New Lahore, Yousafwala (Sahiwal), Gatti (Faisalabad), 220kV grid stations; New Kotlapkhpat, Wapda Town, Ravi, Ghazi Road, Bund Road, Shalamar, Sarfraznagar, Gujrat, Daharki, Jhmapir-II (Sindh) and Industrial-II Quetta.
The seminars focused on providing first aid, emergency response and key safety protocols relevant to field operations. Participants received hands-on training of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and were trained about emergency preparedness, safety procedures and the significance of life-saving techniques in operational environment. The NGC officers delivered technical presentations covering a range of critical safety topics, including substation and transmission line hazards, field inspection practices, standard of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and newly introduced Permit to Work (PTW) performa by the Nepra.
Health, Safety & Environment (HSE), firefighting and emergency preparedness sessions were also conducted by Rescue 1122 at some of the grid stations.
The seminars saw active participation from NGC staff across the Maintenance, Operations, P&I, Security and Admin departments.
Managing Director NGC, Engr Muhammad Shahid Nazir appreciated the Safety Awareness Campaign and stated that safety is fundamental to our operations. He commended all those involved for their dedication to fostering a culture that safeguards our workforce and infrastructure.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
7 hours ago
- Business Recorder
The cost of irrational energy levies
The federal government's decision to impose a petroleum levy of Rs 77 per litre on furnace oil (HFO), supplemented by a carbon tax of Rs 2.50 per litre, adds Rs 84,742 per ton in taxes to a fuel that otherwise costs approximately Rs 130,000 per ton. For export-oriented textile manufacturers, many of whom depend on HFO-based captive power for uninterrupted production, this will severely undermine their viability. Under current market conditions, HFO-fired captive generation costs roughly Rs 33 per kWh, broadly equivalent to prevailing grid tariffs. Once the new levies are applied, generation costs surge to nearly Rs 51 per kWh, by over 50%. At this level, HFO-based power generation ceases to be economically viable, forcing textile firms into an untenable dilemma: continue operating at a severe loss or switch to an unreliable and, ultimately, more expensive grid supply. For most mills, switching to grid-supplied power is not a viable alternative, as HFO-fired captive generation is principally used by units lacking reliable DISCO connections. Across Pakistan—and particularly in urban industrial hubs such as Lahore and Karachi—DISCOs routinely decline new industrial hookups due to constrained infrastructure and transformer capacity. Where connections are technically offered, firms are presented with demand notices running into the tens of billions of rupees merely to secure a feeder line, with no guarantee of timely service: lead times for actual energization often extend to two or three years. Under these conditions, pursuing a formal grid connection is neither commercially nor operationally feasible, aside from enduring the frequent voltage sags and load-shedding that characterize grid supply. This punitive taxation of HFO follows the so-called 'grid transition levy' on gas consumption by captive-power users—a tax that the government itself concedes is incorrectly calculated yet refuses to rectify. Officially, the transition levy is intended to align the cost of captive power with grid tariffs. In practice, however, the levy calculation is based on peak-hour grid rates that apply for only four hours each day, it relies on an eight-year-old Nepra determination of captive O&M costs, a figure that has since doubled or tripled due to inflation and currency depreciation, and incorporates a series of arbitrary errors that artificially inflate the final rate, coercing efficient captive generators onto an unprepared grid. Over the past month alone, two major textile production units served by HESCO reported repeated outages, voltage fluctuations, and sudden trippings. These disturbances burned out feeders and control panels, inflicted heavy machinery damage, and disrupted tightly scheduled production lines. Similar incidents are occurring across multiple DISCOs, underscoring that Pakistan's electricity grid lacks both the capacity and reliability to absorb additional industrial loads. Rather than addressing these structural weaknesses through targeted grid investments, modernization of aging infrastructure, and expansion of generation capacity, the government has opted for a shortcut: tax all alternative energy sources until the grid becomes the sole available option. First gas, now HFO and even solar panels. On one hand, political rhetoric extols market-driven strategy and competitive pricing; on the other, regressive taxes are being wielded to coerce industrial users onto a system that is demonstrably incapable of meeting their needs. The economic repercussions extend far beyond individual factory bills. Pakistan's textile industry accounts for over 50% of export revenues, sustains millions of direct and indirect jobs, and underpins rural livelihoods through cotton cultivation. A unilateral surge in energy costs will erode global competitiveness, and potentially trigger plant closures or relocation of production to more stable energy markets. Already, the poorly designed levy on gas-fired captive generation has slashed captive gas demand by 90%, creating a 400 MMCFD RLNG surplus that the government cannot absorb and which worsens circular debt. The same error is now being applied to furnace oil—despite domestic oversupply, demand will collapse once the levy is imposed, forcing HFO to be exported at under Rs 100,000 per ton rather than sold locally at Rs 130,000. As a result, industry will rely on a grid powered largely by imported coal and RLNG, while domestic HFO is sold abroad at a loss. With demand destroyed, the levy will generate no revenue, import costs will rise, and domestic value addition in exports—through the use of local fuels—will decline. To reverse this trajectory, the government must take three immediate steps. First, suspend the new petroleum and carbon levies on HFO until a comprehensive impact assessment is completed, involving industry stakeholders, DISCO representatives, and energy experts. Such an assessment should quantify the cost differential between captive and grid power under current conditions, and model the long-term effects on export revenue, employment, and foreign exchange earnings. And even then, any levy should be imposed gradually to allow sufficient time for consumers to adjust. Second, the calculation of the grid transition levy must be corrected to reflect actual grid power tariffs and captive generation costs and eliminate arbitrary inflation. Finally, commit to a multi-year grid-modernization plan that addresses transmission bottlenecks, reduces line losses, and provides reliable power at a regionally competitive rate of 9 cents per kWh or below. Without these corrective actions, the government risks imposing a de facto production tax on Pakistan's most vital export sector—one that it can ill afford. Coercive levies may fill the treasury in the short term, but they undermine industrial resilience, drive up unemployment, and weaken foreign-exchange reserves through the hollowing-out of export capacity. In effect, policy is being used not to bolster markets, but to strangle them—and in the process, torpedo the very growth narrative that it purports to champion. A reversal of these levies, accompanied by a clear roadmap for grid improvement, will restore confidence among exporters, stabilize power costs, and ensure that Pakistan's textile sector remains a global competitor rather than a declining casualty of misguided energy policy. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
a day ago
- Business Recorder
Negative FCA for KE consumers: KATI concerned over delay in implementation
KARACHI: Junaid Naqi, President of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) has voiced strong concerns over reported efforts by the Ministry of Energy (Power Division) to delay the implementation of the negative Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA) for April 2025 for K-Electric consumers. He warned that these attempts, which lack legal and procedural basis, could sabotage the Prime Minister's reform initiatives. 'The FCA must be determined and implemented in accordance with NEPRA's formula-based regulatory framework,' said Naqi. 'Blocking its application solely for Karachi raises serious questions about regulatory independence and sets a troubling precedent of administrative overreach.' Naqi pointed out that in the past, when FCA charges were higher, the people and industries of Karachi paid the additional costs without delay. 'Now, when the relief is finally due, obstacles are being placed. This selective treatment is unjust and erodes public trust in the government's reforms,' he added. He further clarified that unless a uniform FCA policy is formally approved by the federal cabinet and directed to NEPRA, no intervention holds legal validity. Even if approved, such a policy can only be applied prospectively, not retroactively. President KATI called for the transparent, fair, and timely implementation of all regulatory decisions and urged the government to allow NEPRA to function independently. Junaid Naqi stressed the need for equal treatment of all consumers including those in Karachi and reaffirmed the importance of upholding the rule of law. He welcomed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's recent move to reduce electricity tariffs for industrial consumers, calling it a timely and commendable step. Junaid Naqi said the decision reflects the government's commitment to supporting Pakistan's export sectors and driving industrial growth during a time of economic uncertainty. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
NEPRA cuts base tariff by Rs1.49 per unit
The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Wednesday reduced the base power tariff by Rs1.49 per unit for fiscal year 2025-26. The recommendation in this regard has been sent to the federal government. Last month, the government moved to revise the base power tariff for the coming fiscal year, suggesting a modest cut ranging from 30 paisas to up to Rs2.25 per unit under seven different scenarios. Assuming stable economic conditions and an exchange rate of Rs280, the average base tariff would drop by Rs2.25 per unit to Rs24.75 in 2025-26, compared to the current rate of around Rs27 per unit. If the local currency depreciates to Rs300 against the dollar, the base tariff would decrease by approximately 30 paisas per unit. This decrease is primarily driven by a drop in capacity payments. Meanwhile, power consumers across the country, excluding K-Electric (KE) and lifeline users, may face a 10-paisa per unit increase in electricity tariffs under the Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA) for May 2025. The power regulator is scheduled to hear the proposed hike of Rs0.1015 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on June 30. The session will also be available online via Zoom. The proposal has been submitted by the Central Power Purchasing Agency Guarantee Limited (CPPA-G) on behalf of Ex-WAPDA Distribution Companies (XWDISCOs). According to CPPA-G, the actual fuel cost in May stood at Rs7.4940/kWh, compared to a reference cost of Rs7.3925/kWh, resulting in the requested hike. In May, 12,755 GWh of electricity was generated at a cost of Rs99.153 billion, averaging Rs7.7739/kWh. After deducting transmission losses of 355 GWh (2.78%) and adjustments, 12,367 GWh was delivered to DISCOs at Rs92.676 billion or Rs7.4940/kWh. Hydel power led the generation mix with 37.98% (4,844 GWh), followed by RLNG (16.99%), nuclear (15.77%), and local coal (11.08%). Imported coal contributed 6.24%, while gas added 6.92%. Other sources included RFO, solar, wind, and bagasse. The power regulator has invited stakeholders to join the hearing and submit feedback. If approved, the FCA will apply for one month only.
