Evaluation of Regulatory Governance of the National Electric Power Sector of Pakistan
Keywords:
National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (K-Electric), Regulations, Professionalism, Accountability, Autonomy, Efficiency
Abstract
This study will try to evaluate the regulatory governance of National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). The authority was formed in 1997 to overcome the inefficiencies of Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) and Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) (now K-electric) and to improve the power sector through good regulations. Moreover, it was supposed to protect the interests of consumers, investors, and operators equally through its autonomy, professionalism, transparency, and credibility. Furthermore, it must grant licenses, determine tariffs and rates, ensure quality service, provide a feasible environment for privatization, and redress the complaints of electricity consumers. This study incorporates both qualitative and quantitative techniques. That is why, even after 23 years, the authority has not yet overcome the issues in the power industry. The study found that the lack of specialists, the lack of autonomy, and the lack of openness and accountability handicapped the government. This study has tried to highlight those problems which hinder the progress of NEPRA and suggested some policy recommendations for its improvement by granting autonomy, enhancing professionalism, a good complaint readdress mechanism, and inclusive in decision-making. This study has highlighted the most ignored prospects of energy regulations, which the authority has been missing for a long time, for enhancing the regulatory governance of energy.
References
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Sibtain, M., Li, X., Bashir, H., & Azam, M. I. (2021). Hydropower exploitation for Pakistan's sustainable development: A SWOT analysis considering current situation, challenges, and prospects. Energy Strategy Reviews, 38, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2021.100728
Siddiqui, R., Jalil, H. H., Nasir, M., Malik, W. S., & Khalid, M. (2011). The cost of unserved energy: Evidence from the industrial sector of
Pakistan(Working Pape). PIDE, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Tareen, W. U. K., Dilbar, M. T., Farhan, M., Ali Nawaz, M., Durrani, A. W., Memon, K. A., ... & Aamir, M. (2019). Present status and potential of biomass energy in Pakistan based on existing and future renewable resources. Sustainability, 12(1), 249. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010249
Uddin, W., Zeb, K., Haider, A., Khan, B., ul Islam, S., Ishfaq, M., ... & Kim, H. J. (2019). Current and future prospects of small hydro power in Pakistan: A survey. Energy Strategy Reviews, 24, 166-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2019.03.002
Ul-Haq, A., Hassan, M. S., Jalal, M., Ahmad, S., Anjum, M. A., Khalil, I. U., & Waqar, A. (2019). Cross-border power trade and grid interconnection in SAARC region: Technical standardization and power pool model. IEEE Access, 7, 178977-179001. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2958407
World Bank (2020). Access to electricity. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3zp9Lyz
Zeb, A., Haider, A., Shaheen, F., & Khan, M. Z. (2015). Improving energy regulatory framework of Pakistan. International Journal of Renewable Energy Research, 5(4), 1069-1079.
Ali, S., Yan, Q., Irfan, M., Ameer, W., Atchike, D. W., & Acevedo-Duque, Af . (2022). Green Investment for Sustainable Business Development: The Influence of Policy Instruments on Solar Technology Adoption. Frontiers in Energy Research, 10, 1-16.
Asad, M., Mahmood, F. I., Baffo, I., Mauro, A., & Petrillo, A. (2022). The cost benefit analysis of commercial 100 MW solar PV: The plant Quaid-e-Azam solar power Pvt Ltd. Sustainability, 14(5), 2895. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052895
Bacon, R. (2019). Learning from power sector reform: The case of Pakistan (Working paper). World Bank, Washington, D.C. https://doi.org/10.1596/1813-9450-8842
Batlle, C., & Ocañ a, C. (2013). Electricity regulation: Principles and institutions. In Regulation of the power sector (pp. 125-150). Springer, London, UK. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-5034-3_3
Bhutta, Z. (2020). PTI govt to freeze power tariff for a year: Express Tribune Islamabad. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3QcH92q
Chien, F., Hsu, C. C., Zhang, Y., Vu, H. M., & Nawaz, M. A. (2022). Unlocking the role of energy poverty and its impacts on financial growth of
household: Is there any economic concern? Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(9), 13431-13444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16649-6
Hulio, Z. H., Jiang, W., & Chandio, G. S. (2022). Power policies, challenges, and recommendations of renewable resource assessment in Pakistan. Energy Exploration & Exploitation, 40(3), 947-976. https://doi.org/10.1177/01445987211064678
Jacobs, S. (2004). Governance of Asian utilities: New regulators struggle in difficult environments. The Governance Brief, 10, 1-4.
Kemal, A. R. (2002). Regulatory framework in Pakistan. The Pakistan Development Review, 41(4), 319-332. https://doi.org/10.30541/v41i4Ipp.319-332
Kurita, M. (2022). How far away from non-interference? A case study of China's development initiative in Pakistan. Journal of Contemporary China, 31(134), 285-300. https://doi.org/10.1080/10670564.2021.1945740
Malik, A. (2007). Effectiveness of regulatory structure in the power sector of Pakistan (Tech. report). Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Islamabad, Pakistan
Naveed, S., & Azhar, A. (2021). Structure, governance and challenges of networks in the public sector: the case of the power network in Pakistan. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 35(1), 16-33. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-12-2020-0343.
Naveed, S., Farooqi, M. R., & Jadoon, M. Z. I. (2022). Energy sector reform in Pakistan: Trends and challenges. Public Sector Reforms in Pakistan. Cham, Germany: Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-96825-0_5
NEPRA (2018). National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Tech report). NEPRA, Islamabad, Pakistan
Qudsia, S. (2016). Addressing power crises of Pakistan through privatization and regulation: A comparative study (Doctoral dissertation). Sabanci University, Tuzla, Turkey.
Rizvi, S. B. U. H. (2019). Issues in electricity market of Pakistan: A note on regulatory structure, sustainability and policy choices. Pakistan Journal of Social Issues, 36-61
Rizvi, S. B. U. H., & Mirza, F. M. (2019). Politico-economic barriers to technical efficiency in restructured electricity distribution utilities in Pakistan: A discourse analysis. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences (PJSS), 39(3), 933-943.
Rizwan, A. (2021). Patterns of autonomy and control in agencification of Pakistan: perceptions of agency employees and ministry officials at the federal level (Doctoral dissertation). Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Robert F. Ichord, Jr. (9 Jan 2020). Transforming the power sector in developing countries: Geopolitics, poverty, and climate change in Pakistan. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3Q9HBhL
Roberts, J. M., & Sattar, H. (2015). Pakistan's economic disarray and how to fix it (HF Special Report). The Heritage Foundation (HF), Washington, DC.
Shah, A. R. (2019). China's belt and road initiative: The way to the modern Silk road and the perils of over-dependence. Asian Survey, 59(3), 407-428. https://doi.org/10.1525/as.2019.59.3.407
Shah, S. A. A., & Solangi, Y. A. (2019). A sustainable solution for electricity crisis in Pakistan: opportunities, barriers, and policy implications for 100% renewable energy. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26(29), 29687-29703.
Sibtain, M., Li, X., Bashir, H., & Azam, M. I. (2021). Hydropower exploitation for Pakistan's sustainable development: A SWOT analysis considering current situation, challenges, and prospects. Energy Strategy Reviews, 38, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2021.100728
Siddiqui, R., Jalil, H. H., Nasir, M., Malik, W. S., & Khalid, M. (2011). The cost of unserved energy: Evidence from the industrial sector of
Pakistan(Working Pape). PIDE, Islamabad, Pakistan.
Tareen, W. U. K., Dilbar, M. T., Farhan, M., Ali Nawaz, M., Durrani, A. W., Memon, K. A., ... & Aamir, M. (2019). Present status and potential of biomass energy in Pakistan based on existing and future renewable resources. Sustainability, 12(1), 249. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12010249
Uddin, W., Zeb, K., Haider, A., Khan, B., ul Islam, S., Ishfaq, M., ... & Kim, H. J. (2019). Current and future prospects of small hydro power in Pakistan: A survey. Energy Strategy Reviews, 24, 166-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2019.03.002
Ul-Haq, A., Hassan, M. S., Jalal, M., Ahmad, S., Anjum, M. A., Khalil, I. U., & Waqar, A. (2019). Cross-border power trade and grid interconnection in SAARC region: Technical standardization and power pool model. IEEE Access, 7, 178977-179001. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2019.2958407
World Bank (2020). Access to electricity. Retrieved from https://bit.ly/3zp9Lyz
Zeb, A., Haider, A., Shaheen, F., & Khan, M. Z. (2015). Improving energy regulatory framework of Pakistan. International Journal of Renewable Energy Research, 5(4), 1069-1079.
Published
2022-05-25
How to Cite
Aleena khan, Wajid Islam, & Rija Ahmad Abbasi. (2022). Evaluation of Regulatory Governance of the National Electric Power Sector of Pakistan. Journal of Management Practices, Humanities and Social Sciences, 6(3), 104-115. https://doi.org/10.33152/jmphss-6.3.9
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