ISLAMABAD, June 2: The electricity prices are expected to increase by around four to five per cent by mid of this month under automatic fuel-based tariff adjustment, official sources told Dawn.

The increase would be effective for the consumers of both the KESC and Wapda. The Wapda has been asked to provide data on revenue impact of fuel price increases since March by 14th of this month so that a new fuel-based tariff determination could be made, an official of the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority said.

The increase would also be applicable to all consumer groups, including commercial, industrial, agriculture and domestic except life-line domestic consumers using up to 50 units per month.

The Nepra official said that since March this year, the furnace oil prices have cumulatively increased by 17.4 per cent till mid of May that would have to be incorporated into the utilities’ consumer tariff. The furnace oil prices have increased from Rs10,193 per ton to Rs11,967 per ton since last fuel-based tariff increase in March.

An official of the water and power ministry, meanwhile, confirmed that about 5.5 paisa per unit along with another 8 per cent interim increase in Wapda tariff determined in March has officially been notified in the gazette of Pakistan. This increase has already been included in the bills the consumers would start receiving in a day or two for the month of May.

The 5.5 paisa per unit increase in Wapda tariff was announced by the Nepra in March under fuel-based automatic tariff adjustment but its notification was withheld by the power ministry in view of presidential referendum.

The eight per cent increase in the power tariff was announced last month as an interim relief to the Wapda whose petition for

88 paisa per unit increase in base tariff is being taken up for formal hearing in the third week of June in Lahore and Islamabad.