ISLAMABAD   -   The Power Purchase Price from imported coal-based power plants will be costing the highest rate of up to Rs 371.26 per unit, owing to the abnormal capacity payment of up to Rs 352.43 per unit, during the upcoming fiscal 2024-25. Even the average power purchase price of the imported coal-based power plants is the highest among the national generation fleet and will cost Rs 77 per unit during the upcoming fiscal year.

The main reason for the high cost of the generation from the imported coal based power plants is its capacity payment of around Rs 445 billion which makes almost 21 percent of the entire Rs2116 billion capacity payments during the FY 2024-25.

The total PPP of imported coal power plants is projected to be over Rs 645 billion, which includes Rs 197.4 billion fuel cost, Rs 445 billion capacity charges and Rs 3.1 billion VO&M cost.

According to the power purchase price data for the next 12 months (July 2024 to June 2025), shared by CPPA-G with National Electric Power Regulatory Authority, the lowest purchase price of the imported coal will be Rs 45.08 per unit, during September 2024, while the highest purchase price of Rs 371.26 per unit has been projected for the month of February 2025.

For the remaining months of the FY 2024-25, it has been projected that the per unit PPP cost will remain at Rs 117.14/unit for July 2024, Rs 48.82/unit in August 2024, Rs 51.35/unit in October, Rs 127.39/unit in November 2024 and Rs 169.60/unit in December 2024. Similarly, in January, March, April, and June 2025, it has been projected that the price will remain Rs 63.59/unit, Rs 73.10/unit, Rs 84.35/unit and Rs 70.90/unit respectively. For May 2025, the per unit cost has not been projected.

The PPP of the Thar coal based electricity is far less than the imported coal ranging between approximately Rs27 per unit to Rs 51/unit. The average cost of the Thar coal based power plants is Rs 32.33/unit during the upcoming fiscal year.

The second most expensive source of electricity generation is RFO based power plants, and it has been projected the average PPP will be Rs 63.57/unit. The power generation cost from RFO based ranging from Rs 48.49/unit to 87.67/unit during the FY 2024-25.

The average PPP for solar based electricity is projected to be Rs 37.18/unit, wind Rs 36.93/unit, RLNG based Rs 33.50/unit, nuclear Rs 20.41/unit, Bagasse Rs 18.26/unit, Gas based Rs 16.95/unit and hydel Rs 10.39/unit.