ISLAMABAD: Pakistani households and industries may see electricity bills climb next year as the country’s power regulator on Tuesday began reviewing a proposal to raise the national power purchase price, a move that could push energy costs higher across the board.
The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), appearing before the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), proposed setting the national power purchase price for fiscal year 2026 between Rs25.69 and Rs26.69 per unit. The benchmark rate is central to determining the tariffs eventually paid by consumers nationwide. Businesses warn it would lock in expensive energy and squeeze economic growth
Nepra Chairman Wasim Mukhtar presided over the public hearing, where the CPPA based its calculations on projected demand, fuel prices and the U.S. dollar exchange rate.
Member Nepra Rafiq Ahmed Sheikh criticized the submission as incomplete and deficient, questioning the accuracy of the data underpinning the proposal. Nepra said it would consult industry stakeholders before finalizing any rate.
Representatives from major business groups warned the proposed range would keep energy unaffordable.
Rehan Javed of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry said the numbers suggest “electricity will not become cheaper” under the plan, adding that high energy costs continue to erode industrial competitiveness.
Tanveer Bari of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry urged regulators not to “inflate” the exchange-rate assumption, noting that any weakening of the rupee sharply increases generation costs.
Nepra will continue reviewing CPPA’s application in the coming weeks, with a final decision on the 2026 power purchase price expected later this year.
