The National Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) has decreased theelectricity price by 44 paisas per unit.
Nepra has released a notification for lowering the price of electricity onMonday. The reduction was made in the head of monthly fuel price adjustmentfor the month of April. The consumers would get a relief of Rs4.4 billionafter this cut.
The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) has requested 84 paisas per unitreduction. Whereas, the Nepra case officer suggested 87 paisas per unitrelief for consumers.
Nepra released 43 paisas per unit to power companies under the head ofoutstanding dues.
Had Nepra agreed to CPPA’s proposal, then the consumers would have gotRs8.5 billion relief.
In another development, the Nepra on Monday heard a government petitionseeking a delay in the increase of electricity prices by Rs3.23 per unit.
The government has requested the Nepra to delay extra recoveries tillOctober as the government did not want to put an extra burden on consumerswhose financial condition was already hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.
Chairman Nepra was of the opinion that according to the IMF once a decisionwas taken it should not be delayed.
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Tauseef Farooqui questioned was it not the case that the delay inrecoveries would not bring an increase in the circular debt.
He said the Nepra authority had decided the case and the government hadduly notified it.
Additional Secretary Power Wasim Mukhtar said Nepra was independent in itsdecision to delay the hike in prices.
The Nepra has completed the hearing on the government petition.
The authority said the decision on the petition will be released later.
