Power tariff likely to be increased in next month

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has advised an increase of Rs1.23 per unit in power tariff, in the month of April.

According to local news channel report, Electricity prices are likely to go up in April under fuel price adjustment for the month of May.

National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NAPERA) will hold a hearing of the summary on March 29.

On February 21, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) had given the go-ahead to an increase of Rs1.80 per unit in power tariff on account of fuel price adjustment.

The authority directed power distribution companies to include the tariff hike of Rs1.80 per unit in next month’s electricity bills. The hike would put an additional burden of Rs13.5 billion on electricity consumer.

In the month of January, electricity was produced using costly furnace oil, Nepra said, and asked the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) to come up with an explanation in this regard.

It said if electricity had been produced using LNG, tariff cost would have been much lower.

During a public hearing, the CPPA informed Nepra that liquefied natural gas (LNG) and coal-based power plants were not operational in January, which led to an extra burden on power consumers.