Fuel charges adjustment: NEPRA notifies Rs5.94 hike in electricity tariff

• The Rs5.94 increase will put a burden of Rs58.5billion on consumers.
• Fuel charges adjustment for January 2022 will be charged in March 2022 bill.
• Additional amount will be paid by all categories of distribution companies, except for lifeline consumers of all the XWDISCOs.

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) on Thursday increased the power tariff by Rs5.94 per unit on account of fuel charges adjustment (FCA) for January 2022.

The FCA for January 2022 will be charged with the bill of March 2022, which will be paid by all consumer categories of distribution companies, except for lifeline customers of all ex-WAPDA distribution companies (XWDISCOs).

The said adjustment shall be shown separately in the consumers’ bills based on units billed to the consumers in the month of January 2022 by the XWDISCOs.

The Rs5.94 increase will put a burden of Rs58.5 billion on consumers, including GST.

"While effecting the fuel adjustment charges, the concerned XWDISCOs shall keep in view and strictly comply with the orders of the courts notwithstanding this order,” the notification read.

Earlier, the regulatory authority had increased power tariff by Rs3.09 per unit on account of FCA for December 2021.

According to a notification issued in this regard, the FCA for December 2021 was charged with the bill of February 2022, which will be paid by all consumer categories of distribution companies, except for lifeline and K-Electric consumers.

'Hike in electricity tariff signifies another U-turn of PM Khan'

Terming the electricity tariff hike another "U-turn" of Prime Minister Imran Khan, PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif said that the premier had announced that electricity price would be increased until the federal budget (due in June); however, "he made a U-turn once again".

“Imran Khan’s claim regarding keeping the stable electricity and commodity prices was another blatant lie,” he said.

Shahbaz stated that the R6 tariff hike is a “foreign conspiracy against the people by the PTI-led government”.

He said that to burden worth Rs58 billion on the people, who are already under pressure due to soaring inflation, is the culmination of “cruelty, abuse and brutality.”

In a series of tweets, the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly further said that a no-confidence motion has been submitted to stop this oppression.