ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority approved on Thursday an increase of 27 paisa per unit in power tariff for all companies of Wapda under monthly fuel adjustment.

The Central Power Purchase Agency had requested Nepra to allow a 45-paisa increase for the next billing month on account of higher generation cost during November last year.

About a fortnight ago, Nepra had rejected the application for want of data on system losses and verified expenses of gas infrastructure development cess being paid to independent power producers despite being held in abeyance on judicial intervention.

In the absence of verifiable data about cess collection, Nepra did not allow the amount to be recovered from consumers in the shape of 18 paisa per unit and approved an increase of 27 paisa.

The decision to allow 27 paisa increase was made at a public hearing presided over by Nepra’s acting chairman Khwaja Mohammad Naeem.

The increase will be charged in the next billing month.

The Central Power Purchase Agency had reported that its average fuel expenses on power generation in November was worked out at Rs7.42 per unit compared with reference fuel cost of Rs6.966 per unit approved by Nepra and hence the requirement for tariff increase.