NEPRA likely to approve Rs1.36 per unit hike in power tariff

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) is likely to jack up electricity price by Rs1.36 per unit under fuel price adjustment for the month of September, 2020.

The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), on behalf of power distributing companies (DISCOs), had earlier requested NEPRA to adjust monthly fuel charges for September and increase power price by Rs1.36 per unit.

Subsequently, NEPRA called an online hearing on October 29 (Thursday) to consider the proposed adjustment and to arrive at a fair decision in this regard. Through a public notice, NEPRA had invited all interested/affected parties to raise written/oral objections as permissible under the law.

The variation in actual and reference fuel charges was Rs2.8410/kWh in September, which is why CPPA has asked NEPRA to allow Rs1.36/kWh hike in the power tariff.

Based on the monthly data provided by CPPA, around 37.18pc of electricity was produced in the country from hydel sources, while 17.42pc was generated from coal, 5.82pc from furnace oil, 10.10pc from domestic natural gas, 21.40pc from imported LNG, 1.34pc from wind and 5.17pc from nuclear sources.

Pursuant to section 31 (7) of the NEPRA Act and the mechanism for the monthly fuel price adjustment prescribed by the authority in the tariff determination of ex-WAPDA DISCOs, the authority may on monthly basis make adjustment in the approved tariff on account of any variation in the fuel charges and policy guidelines as the federal government may issue and notify the tariff so adjusted in the official gazette.

It is pertinent to mention that already burdened masses would bear a severe blow to their finances if NEPRA grants its approval to raise the power price by Rs1.36 per unit under the head monthly fuel charges adjustment. However, the hike, if approved, will not affect the consumers of K-Electric.

Ahmad Ahmadani
Ahmad Ahmadani
The author is a an investigative journalist at Profit. He can be reached at [email protected].

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