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ISLAMABAD, Aug 23: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Saturday recommended an unprecedented increase of up to 76 per cent in electricity tariff for the distribution companies of Wapda.
It has put its determinations on the tariff petitions of distribution companies on its website and asked the federal government to notify new tariffs in the official gazette for implementation with immediate effect.
The Nepra has determined separate tariffs for all distribution companies but the government has the right to allow a uniform increase through cross-subsidisation.
Except for the consumers using 50 units per month, the increase in tariff has been allowed for all consumer categories including residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural sectors. The minimum increase of 19 per cent has been allowed for residential consumers of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (Iesco) using less than 300 units per month while the highest increase of 76 per cent has been allowed to industrial consumers of Gujranwala Electric Power Supply Company (Gepco).
MULTAN ELECTRIC POWER SUPPLY COMPANY: The Nepra has allowed an increase of Rs2.97 or 59 per cent in residential consumer using 300 units per month. The residential consumers of Mepco using 300 units per month would now be charged at Rs8 per unit while their next 700 units would be charged at Rs10.50 per unit, with an increase of 40 per cent or Rs3.02 per unit. Some of Mepco’s residential consumers would be charged at Rs12 per unit for their peak time use, with a jump of 55 per cent.
The commercial consumers of Mepco would now be charged at Rs13.50 per unit, with an increase of Rs4.77 per unit or 55 per cent. The tariff for Mepco’s industrial consumers (B-1) has been raised by 29 per cent to Rs9 per unit while its B-2 consumers would be charged at 7.25 per unit, up by 46 per cent. Likewise, Mepco’s first two categories of bulk consumer tariff have been raised by 29 per cent and 55 per cent to Rs9.25 and Rs12 per unit.
QUETTA ELECTRIC SUPPLY COMPANY: The tariff for residential consumers of Qesco has been raised between 40 and 52 per cent. The rates for 300 units per month has been increased by Rs3.52 per unit or 52 per cent, while next 700 units will be charged at Rs12.25 per unit, up by 42 per cent or Rs3.66 per unit. The consumers using 1000 units or more will be charged at Rs13.50, up by 40 per cent or Rs3.91 per unit.
The tariff for commercial consumers of Qesco has been raised between 45 per cent and 62 per cent to R9.50 and Rs14 per unit. The rates for industrial consumers have been raised between 34 per cent and 68 per cent and their new rates would now range between Rs9.50 and Rs12.30 per unit.
HYDERABAB ELECTRIC SUPPLY COMPANY: The residential rates for Hesco consumers have been raised between 40 per cent and 52 per cent and the new rates would go up to Rs15.50 per unit, showing an increase of Rs4.31 per unit. Three different categories in commercial sector have been raised between 26 per cent and 62 per cent while industrial rates have been increased by up to 31 per cent.
PESHWWAR ELECTRIC SUPPLY COMPANY: The residential rates for Pesco consumers have been raised between 38 and 59 per cent and the consumers using more than 700 units and 1000 units per month would be charged at Rs14.75 and Rs15 per month, showing an increase of up to Rs5.55 per unit. Three categories in commercial sector would have to face an increase of 38 per cent, 40 per cent and 59 per cent touching Rs15 per unit.
The industrial consumers would have to pay a higher tariff of between 34 per cent and 38 per cent, showing a jump of up to Rs5.85 per unit. The consumers in Azad Kashmir being supplied electricity by Pesco would have to face an increase of 71 pr cent.
ISLAMABAD ELECTRIC SUPPLY COMPANY: The lowest increase of about 61 paisa per unit or 19 per cent has been allowed in the tariff of consumers using 100 units per month who would now be charged at Rs3.75 per unit instead of Rs3.14 per unit. The rates for second category of 300 units have been increased by 45 per cent and consumers using 1000 units per month would have to pay 65 per cent or Rs4.76 per unit extra price.
Commercial consumers of Iesco have been raised between 31and 65 per cent while industrial consumers would have to pay between 56 and 65 per cent extra cost.
GUJRANWALA ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY: The rates for first residential consumers of 100 units per month have been raised by 58 per cent while consumers using 1000 units per month would have to pay 65 per cent extra cost.
The tariff for commercial consumers in Gepco has been raised by 57 per cent and 65 per cent while some industrial consumers would be required to pay up to 76 per cent higher price, showing an increase of Rs5.08 per unit.
Informed sources said that officials of the ministries of water and power and finance remained busy in working out a uniform rate for all consumers because of a massive increase in tariff allowed by Nepra on the basis of increase in fuel prices and financial and system losses being faced by distribution companies. These sources said the prime minister had allowed the line ministries to pass on the full impact of tariff increase to consumers because of unprecedented financial crunch faced by power companies. The new rates are expected to be notified by the government next month and would become effective for the electricity bills of current month.
