Power sector: too many regulators

Pakistan's power sector does not suffer from a lack of oversight; it suffers from too much of it – poorly aligned. More regulators are not the answer to put the house in order. This is what is happening in the energy sector. Every rupee on an electricity bill is shaped by a maze of regulators, auditors, market operators, cabinet committees and state-owned companies. Yet despite this dense web of institutions, the sector remains financially broken, operationally weak and riddled with data inconsistencies. The latest addition – the revival of Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) as Power Planning and Monitoring Company (PPMC) - raises a critical question: does Pakistan need another watchdog or does it need to fix the ones it already has?