SSGC explains retroactive impacts of revised gas tariffs, meter rent increase

KARACHI: Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) on Thursday provided an explanation for the increase in monthly gas meter rent and revised gas tariffs after implementation of some new factors and tariff slabs under the revised tariff, which had retroactive impacts.

The revision of gas tariffs for various customer categories, including industrial, commercial, and domestic sectors, was announced by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) on February 15, 2023, which came into effect from January 2023.

Through the said notification, for domestic customers, OGRA has introduced FIXED CHARGES against piped natural gas service facility at doorstep that are bifurcated into two

categories, i.e., Protected and Non-Protected customers. All those customers who have consumed 90 cubic meters or less of gas on an average during last winter season spanning from November 2022 till February 2023 will fall in the Protected category whereas those consuming more than 90 cubic meters of gas on average during similar period shall be considered as Non-Protected customers.

The fixed charges for the Protected customers shall be Rs. 10/- whereas for the Non-Protected customers they will be Rs. 460/-. The previously charged monthly meter rent for both categories shall remain as Rs. 40/-. For both these categories, previous one slab benefit will be available. However, it may also be noted that protected customer will be treated as non-protected on the basis of its subsequent month’s consumption with more than 90 cubic meters as barometer for that particular month only.

Subsequent to the said notification, the gas bills of January and February 2023 that were issued on previous tariff, have been revised and differential will be collected in instalments in the bills of March to May 2023. First instalment against January 2023 bill was recovered in the bill of March 2023, whereas 2ND and 3RD instalments against February 2023 bill will be collected in instalments in bills of April and May 2023. This amount will reflect in monthly gas bills under the head of ‘Adjustment’ and as arrears in the head of ‘Previous Balance’.