Electricity bills to reflect Rs3.07 per unit hike in December

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has officially sanctioned a Rs3.07 per unit increase in electricity prices for October 2023, attributed to Fuel Charges Adjustment (FCA), as communicated in its notification on Tuesday.

This tariff adjustment will be separately reflected in the power bills based on the units consumed by consumers of all ex-Wapda DISCOs (XWDISCOs) during October 2023. NEPRA has specified that XWDISCOs are to incorporate the FCA in the billing cycle for December 2023.

It is important to note that this tariff adjustment does not apply to K.Electric (KE) consumers, Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS), or lifeline consumers.

The adjustment in the approved tariff for Ex-WAPDA DISCOs was prompted by variations in fuel charges for October 2023, as indicated in the request submitted by CPPA-G via a letter dated November 15, 2023, the authority clarified. NEPRA emphasised the need for XWDISCOs to adhere strictly to court orders while implementing the FCA.

In a separate development, a NEPRA inquiry report disclosed that numerous electricity consumers in Pakistan were overcharged during July and August of the current year. 

The report highlighted that distribution companies (DISCOs) billed consumers for over 40 days, leading to widespread overbilling. NEPRA identified MEPCO, followed by GEPCO, FESCO, LESCO, and HESCO, as the main contributors to this overbilling, holding all DISCOs responsible for this unjustified practice.

The report recommended legal actions against power distribution companies, including K-Electric Limited (KEL), under NEPRA Fine Regulations, 2021, for violating the provisions of the NEPRA Act, Consumer Service Manual (CSM), and tariff terms and conditions.