ISLAMABAD, March 7: The federal government has notified an average reduction of 9 paisa and 13 paisa per unit (kwh) in electricity tariff of Wapda and KESC respectively.

The reduction in tariff should have come into effect on January 1, 2002 under the automatic fuel adjustment-based determination announced by the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority on Dec 29, 2001.

The gazette notification was, however, delayed for three months to give a windfall benefit to the utilities, particularly Wapda. The Wapda kept on resisting its implementation on the grounds that full impact of fuel was not reflected in the tariff revision effectively.

A Nepra announcement said on Thursday: “The new tariff will be applicable with effect from the date of notification and it is expected that the power utilities...will adjust their monthly billing (in) such (a way) that consumers receive reduced bills in the next month i.e. April 2002.”

The Nepra in its decision had allowed reduction in the consumer end tariff by paisa 9 and 13 per unit to Wapda companies and KESC respectively in respect of all consumers, except residential ones consuming up to 50 units a month.

This is for the third time in a row since May last year that common people had to pay the price for the continued dispute between the power regulator and the power utility.

A Nepra member when contacted told Dawn that the government could ask for review of regulator’s decision within 15 days but this time the delay was caused due to Printing Corporation of Pakistan in the publication of gazette notification. He, however, assured that the next quarterly review would be made from the date of implementation of Dec 29 determination.