Pakistan: Electricity prices likely to be hiked by PKR 3.53 per unit

Islamabad [Pakistan], November 21 (ANI): The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) received the Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) request to hike the electricity price by Pakistani currency PKR 3.53 per unit, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The Pakistan-based media outlet reported that the NEPRA will hear the plea on November 29 and the recent increase in electricity tariff has been sought for the month of October under monthly fuel adjustment.

The approval from the NEPRA will put an additional burden of Rs 40 billion on the power consumers.

Earlier, the Cabinet Committee on Energy (CCoE) meeting approved the summary which stated officers of the power division from grades 17 to 21 will get a utility allowance instead of free electricity units.

However, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) Employees Union protested in Lahore, for the continuity of a free power facility.

A protest demonstration was held in Lahore after sources claimed that the caretaker government is considering ending free power facilities for WAPDA employees.

The President of the WAPDA Union threatened a strong reaction if the facility of free electricity to the employees was revoked.

Earlier, it was reported that Pakistan had to pay back Rs 360 PKR (around 1.25 billion dollars) to the Chinese power producers.

Dawn News reported that consumers in Karachi faced heavy load shedding at the same time. Hydropower generation contributes the highest to the total power grid of Pakistan with 38 per cent, LNG-based power generation at 17.17 stood second, nuclear power generation contributes 12.79 per cent and local coal-based generation gives 10.3 per cent power to Pakistan.

This is the first time that Nepra has started separately reporting the local and imported coal-based power generation which shows a massive difference. In July this year, the cumulative (local and imported) coal-based generation stood at 14.69 per cent compared to 17.75 per cent share in June.

Power supply from domestic gas maintained its downward journey and contributed just 7.60 per cent to the pakistan grid in August against 7.61 per cent in July, 8.54 per cent in June, 10.35 per cent in May and 12pc in April.