ISLAMABAD - Defying the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ruling, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) Wednesday increased electricity price by Rs0.91 per unit under fuel price adjustment (FPA). The IHC declared the FPA of previous months illegal as well as null and void but, setting aside the IHC judgement, Nepra sanctioned tariff raise under the same controversial surcharge for the month of November. Nepra allowed the tariff raise of Distribution Companies (Discos) on the request of Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA). Hearing on tariff increase on account of FPA was held in Nepra office under its acting chairman Habib Ullah Khilji. Nepra members Shaukat Ali Kundi and Khawaja Muhammad Naeem asked CPPA officials to explain how a notification to charge the consumers on account of FPA could be issued when the IHC had declared it illegal and how previous month's adjustments could be collected. Nepra also asked its legal advisor to approach the IHC Bar Association to get its advice on the matter. During the hearing, the National Power Control Centre (NPCC) General Manger Masood Ahmad pleaded to the authority to allow Discos to adjust the FPA at their discretion, leaving it for Nepra’s review. He told the authority that it had happened in the past. The regulatory authority said it was not possible because the Lahore High Court had overruled this (self-adjustment of tariff by Discos) process ‘so now fuel price adjustments are being done after public hearings’.The CPPA pleaded that electricity worth Rs338 million went waste during distribution to Discos. Nepra approved the CPPA plea, allowing it to increase electricity tariff by Rs0.91 per unit. The move authorised Discos overburden their consumers to meet patch up losses.The regulatory authority also granted its approval to collect Rs879million on account of high and low sulphur of KEPCO, Rs39million for HUBCO on account of Partially Load Adjustment Charges (PLAC) from the power consumers. However, the implementation on the approved tariff would be effective after Nepra notification which would be issued following the detailed IHC judgment on FPA case. If the court permits to charge the consumers on account of FPA, a notification to this effect would be issued, sources said, adding that this raise in electricity price would not affect the KESC consumers and those who used below fifty units.