ISLAMABAD – Governemnt has approved Rs.1.25 per unit in power tariff forMay under monthly fuel adjustment formula.
The Central Power Purchase Agency Guarantee Limited (CPPA-G) has sought Rs1.32 increase in power tariff for the month of May. The regulator allowedincrease in tariff after hearing presided over by NEPRA members HimayatUllah Khan and Saif Ullah Chattha.
Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Power Division Fida Muhammad alsoattended the hearing.
In a petition submitted to National Electric Power Regulatory Authority(NEPRA), the CPPA-G maintained the cost of per unit remained atRs.6.6123/kWh against the reference fuel charges of Rs.5.2908/ kWh per unitfixed for May.
The CPPA-G sought an increase of Rs.1.32 in the tariff. However, theregulator allowed Rs.1.25 hike in power tariff. The consumers will bearRs.15.70 billion due to price hike.
The regulator was told that a total 12,117.67 Gwh electricity was generatedduring the said period. Some 18.30 per cent electricity was generatedthrough hydel, 12.12 per cent from coal, 19.30 per cent from furnace Oil,16.27 per cent from gas, 23.85 from RLNG, 5.41 per cent from nuclear and2.38 per cent from wind during the said period.
Responding to a query of Senator Fida Muhammad, member NEPRA Himayat UllahKhan said the consumers have to bear maximum burden of system inefficiency,technical and administrative losses while some part of it was parked intocircular debt.
He said being a regulator, NEPRA was making efforts to protect the rightsof consumers.
The regulator was further told that more electricity was generated throughcoal and RLNG this time as compared to last year.Himayat Ullah said cheap gas was being provided to GENCOs which have lowefficiency. “Had this gas is supplied to efficient Independent PowerProducers (IPPs), more low cost electricity can be produced,” he said.
He said on one side expensive gas was being purchased from Qatar at Rs.13per unit but on other hand, Rs.6 per unit was not being given toBalochistan for purchasing cheap gas.