ISLAMABAD - The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has issued a notification to jack up the power tariff by Rs 0.32 on account of fuel price adjustment (FPA) for September this year.
Since no relief is in sight, the 32-paisa tariff hike with effect from the date of this notification of the regulatory authority will be applicable to all consumer categories of power distribution companies, except for lifeline consumers using up to 50 units per month as well as consumers of Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) and Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO).
According to the Nepra notification, Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) sold 9.9 billion electricity units to the power distribution companies (Discos) during September. The Nepra fixed the reference fuel cost (RFC) for power generation at Rs 6.2493 per unit, while actual cost stood at Rs 6.57 per unit. And Discos would collect this hike in power tariff in the monthly bills of November.
Earlier, the tariff revision was made during a public hearing conducted by the Nepra at its headquarters and chaired by its Acting Chairman Khawaja Naeem in October. In its petition, the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) said the Nepra had fixed the reference fuel cost for power generation at Rs 6.2493 per unit for September though actual cost stood at Rs 6.57 per unit.
The CPPA sold more than 9.9 billion electricity units to the power distribution companies in September and fuel cost was calculated at Rs 59.84 billion.
The CPPA, in its petition, said during transmission of electricity more than 203 million units were lost, constituting 2.5 percent of the total supply for the month. In reply, the Nepra officials expressed concern over the transmission losses and called for taking measures to control it.
At the end of the hearing, the Nepra allowed an increase of Rs 0.32 per unit in the power tariff. The regulator, however, clarified that the tariff revision would not be applicable to consumers of KESC, PESCO and those using up to 50 units per month.
In total power generation, the share of hydroelectric power was 44.16 percent, coal-based electricity 0.07 percent, high-speed diesel-based power 1.24 percent, the power produced through residual fuel oil 33.35 percent, gas-fired power 15.01 percent, nuclear power 4.6 percent, the power imported from Iran 0.41 percent and wind power 0.25 percent.
The cost of coal-based power was estimated at Rs 3.6118 per kilowatt-hour, diesel Rs 23.01 per kwh, fuel oil Rs 15.57 per kwh, gas Rs 4.83 per kwh, nuclear Rs 1.322 per kwh, imported power Rs 10.55 per kwh and hydropower less than a rupee.