Over Rs4/unit power tariff hike sought

Consumers should brace themselves for another jolt in their electricity bills, as the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has requested a tariff increase of Rs4.9917 per unit due to fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for February 2024. Following a rise of over Rs7 per unit in January due to fuel adjustments, CPPA, representing Ex-Wapda Discos (XWDiscos), submitted a petition to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA). It cited that the reference fuel charge for February was Rs4.4337 per unit, while the actual cost of energy delivered to Discos was Rs9.4254 per unit. The requested increase of Rs4.9917 per unit includes previous adjustments of Rs0.5484 per unit. If fully approved by NEPRA, this could burden electricity consumers with an additional Rs40 billion (FCA + General Sales Tax). NEPRA will hold a public hearing on March 28, 2024, to review the petition. The breakdown of data reveals varying costs across different generation sources, from Rs1.3213 per unit for nuclear to Rs27.1968 per unit for electricity imported from Iran. No electricity was generated from High Speed Diesel and Furnace Oil during the month.