The residents of Karachi may encounter an additional financial burden as the Federal government is seeking a Rs 1.72 per unit increase for K-electric consumers, according to the reports.
The federal government has submitted a request to the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA), seeking the tariff hike for KE consumers. This adjustment is related to the second and third quarterly tariff changes from the previous year, and the government justifies the increase to maintain a consistent tariff nationwide. The requested hike includes Rs 0.25 per unit for the January-March 2023 adjustment and Rs 0.47 per unit for the October-December 2022 adjustment.
The application is scheduled to be heard by NEPRA on December 20.
Earlier, on September 5, NEPRA had increased the power tariff for K-Electric consumers based on monthly fuel adjustment charges. Following the federal government’s approval of NEPRA’s plea, electricity prices were raised by Rs 1.48 to Rs 4.45. Consumers are expected to pay the increased electricity tariff in the months of October and November 2023.
The increments vary, with a Rs 1.48 increase for 300 unit consumers, Rs 3.21 for those consuming more than 300 units, and Rs 4.45 per unit increase for 5 kilowatts and e-vehicle charging stations.
Ongoing Over-Billing Concerns: Power Division And NEPRA In Disagreement Regarding Investigation Findings
Meanwhile, the Power Division and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) are in disagreement over the ongoing problem of over-billing, revealing a divergence in their assessments.
A preliminary report from the Power Division challenges the validity of Nepra’s investigation into consumer over-billing. The report points out flaws in Nepra’s investigation methodology, citing biased sampling, quality control errors, data processing inconsistencies, and a failure to consider operational challenges faced by electricity companies.
While acknowledging that more than 381,510 faulty meters contributed to inaccurate billing, the report uncovers additional discrepancies. In July, over 4.5 million customers received inflated bills exceeding 32-34 days, affecting 846,468 consumers due to slab changes and 198,166 due to shifts from protected to non-protected categories.
