ISLAMABAD - The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has allowed the distribution companies to raise power tariff for the months of February and March.

As per details, the authority approved Rs 0.59 raise for February 2012 and Rs 1.79 per unit for March 2012. As per an official these charges will collected from the consumers in the bills of September and October this year after final approval from the Ministry of Water and Power.  Lifeline consumers using up to 100 units would be exempted from this raise. The official said that cost of electricity for any month is calculated in the end and then the differential is calculated in the shape of fuel adjustment.
In a manner the consumers are paying the full cost of electricity to WAPDA and the subsidy the government claims giving to consumers is just a claim and actually the thieves take benefit of that subsidy by not paying a penny against the electricity they consume. The government is unable to control line losses that is a major reason behind increasing cost of electricity in the country. The fuel adjustment figure can also be decreased if the government nabs the power thieves with iron hands.
The line losses in Pakistan that are among the highest world-wide showing the figure of near 20 per cent.
The power crisis is augmenting in the country due to the wrong economic priorities, as there has been no focus on improving the distribution system, which is resulting  in huge losses. Furthermore,  the government has been unable to initiate vnetures which can improve eergy supply. Hence, tehre has been no signicant addition of power supply to the national grid during the last many years.