Do you think this idea is profitable to them? why do you think in all these 17 years it wasn't implemented yet? They didnt do it for a reason.
Also have you seen any other mmorts with PVE implemented? no I don't think so, it's usually space shooters or rpgs doing this. NEver seen in ogame-like mmos. or empire-management games.
anyway, UC or drekons should hit back the players attacked them, it would be better and more dynamic. if this happens. Basically NPCs in this game aren't really classic npcs, they're just like unowned accounts, just to profit from their bases, not actual CPU controlled accounts.
if you want alternative sources of income you should also think of asteroid belts or gas giants. pretty sure there are a lot of ways to handwave their production capacity and income.
