Govt withdraws power subsidy for protected consumers

ISLAMABAD: The federal government has officially withdrawn the electricity subsidy for consumers using up to 200 units per month, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

This decision means that consumers in this category will now face charges, starting from October, ranging from Rs9 to Rs29 per unit without any further relief in their electricity bills.

Protected customers using up to 50 units will be charged Rs9.39 per unit, while those consuming between 51 and 100 units will pay Rs13.64 per unit.

For consumers using between 101 and 200 units, the rate will increase to Rs29.21 per unit, significantly impacting these households.

READ: Power sector subsidies surge by 400% in five Years: World Bank

In addition, the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has introduced a revised surcharge policy for late bill payments.

As per the reports, a 5 percent surcharge will apply to bills paid within three days after the due date, while a 10 percent surcharge will apply to payments made beyond that period. Previously, a uniform 10 percent surcharge was imposed for late payments.

However, no surcharge will be applied if payments are made within the three-day grace period following the due date, offering some flexibility to consumers.

Earlier, a uniform 10pc late payment charge was imposed on overdue bills, but this new structure aims to provide more flexibility for consumers.