‘Surcharges’ will not resolve circular debt: Nepra chief

The five-member National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and various consumer representatives on Thursday stood unanimous in strongly criticising the government for an unprecedented and continuing hike in electricity prices without addressing the structural problems in the power distribution companies as the regulator appeared set to allow an electricity surcharge of up to Rs3.23 per unit for next fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023. Nepra had called a public hearing on the fresh request of the Power Division for increasing the surcharge on electricity to Rs3.23 per unit from Rs1.43 per unit approved by the regulator for the next fiscal year early this month on top of Rs3.82 per unit surcharge for four months of the current fiscal year. Chairman Nepra Tauseef H. Farooqui, who presided over the hearing, and all the other members of the regulator lamented that there appeared to be no end to the sufferings of the people and it was ironic that a fresh request had been filed for increasing the surcharge within days after it was imposed.