After petroleum prices hike, power tariff likely to increase by Rs2.94/unit

ISLAMABAD: After giving a severe blow to the already inflation-hit masses by hiking petroleum prices, the government is likely to induce more shocks to the power consumer by increasing the electricity tariff by Rs 2.94 per unit.

Power Division, in a press statement, said that the request to reduce the fuel charges adjustment (FCA) from Rs 4.92 to Rs 2.94/unit for May as compared to April has been submitted for hearing in the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA).

According to the Power Division, as a result of the government's efforts, the request for the reduction in electricity bills has been submitted to NEPRA for the third consecutive month. The electricity bills for March were brought down from Rs 7.6/unit to Rs 4.92 per unit, said Power Division.

According to the sources, the request to increase electricity prices was filed in the context of monthly fuel charges adjustment (FCA) by the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) and NEPRA will hear the application of CPPA during the last week of this month. 

It should be noted that in the February adjustment, NEPRA had increased the price of electricity by Rs 4.92 per unit, while in the January fuel price adjustment, the price of electricity was increased by Rs. 7.6 per unit.

The burden of fuel price adjustment was reduced in March as compared to January and February.

It is also relevant to note that despite the claim of Power Division about the submission of a tariff petition, NEPRA through its website has so far not acknowledged the receiving of an application in this regard.

In a related development, the government on Monday increased the petrol and high-speed diesel prices by Rs4.53 and Rs8.14 per litre respectively for the next fortnight.

After the latest hike, the new price of petrol is Rs 293.94 per litre, while the price of diesel has reached Rs 290.38 per litre.

The price of light diesel also increased by Rs6.54 to Rs174.34 per litre. The price of kerosene oil was hiked by Rs6.69 to Rs193.8 per litre.