22 paisa per unit cut okayed for next month

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) Wednesday announced providing Rs0.22/unit relief to power consumers in their next month’s bills. The authority held a public hearing on the petition of the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) that it had filed before the regulator to determine the monthly Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA) for the month of June 2021. The regulator has tentatively worked out that the Power Distribution Companies (DISCOs) should return 22 paisa per unit to consumers in their next month bills. This relief will be given because the DISCOs had charged the higher cost from the consumers while the actual charges were low. The regulator will issue its decision in a few days and then it would be applicable. It is worth mentioning that this relief will be not available to lifeline power consumers (who use less than 50 units a month), agricultural and K-Electric consumers.

The NEPRA chairman also expressed displeasure over violation of the economic merit order. He said that by violating the order and running costly power plants, the consumers had been deprived of around Rs1.5 billion relief.

The CCPA official said that the National Transmission and Despatch (NTDC) was responsible for this, as it has an agreement with the DISCOs. A member of the regulatory body expressed anger and stated that when the NTDC is not taking responsibility then why it is coming and filing a petition for raising electricity tariff.

During the month, of total generated from all sources, the costliest 0.43 percent electricity was generated from High-Speed Diesel (HSD) at Rs20.267/unit, then 8.18 percent electricity from Residual Fuel Oil (RFO) at Rs14.5285/unit.

From hydel sources, 29.40 percent electricity was added to the total national power generation. Share of coal power was 18 percent at a cost of Rs8.1426/unit, natural gas 9.08 percent at Rs8.1697/unit, RLNG-based electricity of 18.81 percent costing Rs10.5771/unit and nuclear power share was 11.27 percent costing Rs1.0001/unit.

K-Electric has also recently filed a petition in NEPRA asking for Rs6.52 per unit hike in electricity tariff for its consumers. It had sought the tariff hike on account of monthly fuel charge adjustments for the period January 2021 to June 2021 and quarterly adjustment from Jan 2021 to March 2021.