NEPRA reserves decision on K-Electric tariff hike petition

KARACHI: K-Electric consumers are likely to pay an additional Rs5.50 per unit in their electricity bills as the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) reserved its judgment on a petition filed by the company for a hike in power tariff under the fuel adjustment mechanism, ARY News reported on Monday.

K-Electric, the sole power utility in Karachi, had requested an increase of Rs5.18 for July to September 2021, and a rupee of 0.32 for November.

Tauseef Farooqi, Chairman NEPRA, heard two different pleas of the power utility to increase the price of electricity by Rs5.50 per unit in the first quarter of the current financial year July to September and November 2021 under fuel adjustment.

NEPRA, while concluding the hearing on the request for hike in power tariff, remarked that it would take a decision after reviewing all the facts and figures.

Meanwhile, the KE spokesperson has refuted news of an increase of Rs5.50 per unit and added that Karachi’s sole electric supply company as requested an increase of 31 paisa per unit increase under fuel adjustment.

Under the tariff mechanism, changes in fuel cost are passed on to consumers only on monthly basis through an automatic mechanism, while quarterly tariff adjustments on account of variation in the power purchase price, capacity charges, variable operation and maintenance costs.