Electricity price may rise as Discos seek extra fuel cost charge

• CPPA files request citing Rs0.26/unit cost gap in March.
• Ref fuel cost was Rs7.99 against actual Rs8.26 per unit.
• If approved, K-Electric consumers will also face increase.
  

ISLAMABAD: Electricity consumers may face higher power bills starting in May, as power distribution companies have requested the national energy regulator’s approval for an additional charge of Rs0.26 per unit.

The adjustment is intended to recover fuel costs after consumers were underbilled in March 2026, The News reported.

The Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA), acting on behalf of ex-Wapda distribution companies, filed the request with the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), citing a gap between the reference fuel cost of Rs7.99 per unit built into March bills and the actual cost of Rs8.26 per unit, a shortfall of Rs0.26 per unit.

If it is approved, it would apply to K-Electric consumers as well. Total power generation in March reached 8,939 gigawatt-hours (GWh) at a cost of Rs72.21 billion, or roughly Rs8.07 per unit.

After accounting for transmission losses and prior adjustments, net electricity delivered to distributors cost Rs8.26 per unit on 8,664 GWh supplied, according to data submitted to Nepra.

The demand in March increased by 6.3% year on year, reflecting a cyclical rebound in economic activities. And over the previous month, it increased by 16%, driven by a seasonal uptick.

For the first nine months of fiscal year 2026, cumulative generation reached 93,134 GWh, a 3.3% increase over the same period last year.

In March, the hydropower’s share climbed to 23.55%. Nuclear generation contributed 21.95% to 1,962 GWh, local coal generation was 16.76% (1,498 GWh), while imported coal output share was 13.8% (1,234 GWh). Whereas, RLNG-based output was only 5.64% or 504GWh.